


Braiding the Beard

by Paname



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Abuse, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Family, Friendship, M/M, Romance, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-08 00:27:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 84,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16418948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paname/pseuds/Paname
Summary: Lucy sees deep unhappiness settling in one of the guild members, and does everything in her power to change the social dynamic of the guild. The consequences of her actions are irreversible, and Lucy finds that though things might be different than what she imagined, they aren't necessarily bad.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all, as I've put in the content warnings, there's gonna be some rough stuff in this story. That said, its not constant and it happens in certain chapters. 
> 
> If there's warnings or tags that I've missed, PLEASE let me know and I will add them in.

 

Also, I own nothing.

 

Chapter 1

 

Lisanna woke panting and sweating; her usual nightmare had been worse than usual. This time her falling dream had ended her landing in a crumpled heap. Her anxiety was getting worse, and she felt less and less like she had any sort of home. She felt as if everything from the past few years was attacking her on all fronts, she had no shelter from her own mind. She looked over at her nightstand and saw that it was four in the morning. ‘Well that’s a plus, at least I got more sleep than usual.’ She thought dryly as she slipped her delicate feet into her favorite fuzzy slippers. She stifled a yawn and shuffled her way into the kitchen of her new apartment and started making coffee. She sighed as she rummaged around her fridge for some heavy cream; she located the cream quickly and poured it into her espresso.

 

Her next destination was the bathroom; this was her favorite part of her new apartment. It had a huge bath with jets in it, and Lisanna had a newfound love of long soaks in the tub. They were one of the only things that brought her true relaxation when her anxiety reared its ugly head. She gently sprinkled some of her favorite lavender bath salt into her running bathwater, and groaned when she saw that she was almost out. Deciding the pick some up later on, she dumped the rest into her bath and went back to her coffee while she waited for her bath to be filled.

 

She soaked for quite some time, thinking about her guild. The guild that she had felt was warm and welcoming at one point now felt like a place that was distracted and held up a facade of caring about their fiends and family. She had fallen into a depression, and no one had to noticed. Her own sister seemed to have dropped off the deep end, and although she spoke to Lisanna when she was at the guild, Mira hadn’t even visited her new apartment. Mira treated her like she was some wild animal that was dangerous, and unapproachable. Some days this made her seethe with rage, and others it made her feel like crawling into a hole and never coming out. Not only that, but she felt neglected by her childhood friend. Natsu had been there for Lisanna for her whole life, but now that Lucy was his best friend, he rarely even talked to her. She couldn’t blame him though, Lucy was kind and glowed with an ethereal beauty.

 

Lisanna finished conditioning her hair and moved onto cleaning her body. When she finished shaving and scrubbing, Lisanna pulled the plug on the train and got up from her seated position. She tripped out of her bath and almost landed on her face. Some days felt like a mixture of wins and loses.

 

❦

 

Lucy’s morning had not been much different from Lisanna’s, except Lucy had woken up on and off throughout the night. She felt guilty, worried, and sad all mixed together. She’d been watching Lisanna in the guild for quite some time now, and it was obvious something was very wrong. She had started out as Mira’s cheerful younger sister, but over time Lucy saw something dark creep into the young woman and her bright spirit deteriorate. There were times when she was jumpy and anxious, and times when she seemed to become Juvia when Gray was gone but far worse and less comical.

 

Lucy felt incredibly guilty, because she had been too caught up with her team to consider her own potential role in Lisanna’s change. She and Natsu had been best friends as kids, and she was sure that Lisanna still cared for the destructive idiot. Lucy wanted to make amends, but didn’t even know where to begin. She couldn’t just walk up to Lisanna and say ‘Hey sorry for not being there for you and ignoring you when I should’ve made sure you felt comfortable in the guild.’ Lucy paused in her own morning routine to choose her bath salt of the day; rose eucalyptus. ‘Yes, that would be perfect’ She thought, she’d mix up a batch of her home made bath salts and give them to Lisanna. With that, she slipped into her warm bath and tried to scrub away her worries about Lisanna being mad.

 

Lucy putted around her kitchen, making a chai tea and bacon for breakfast while she measured out the coarse salt, epsom salts (for the aches a mage often feels), and baking soda. She rummaged around her special cabinet for her eucalyptus oil stash; next she looked for an appropriate scent for Lisanna. Mint might work, but she wanted something relaxing, Lucy smiled as she fingered the last of her favorite French Lavender scent and grabbed it from the shelf and closed her cupboard. This would be her start of repairing the relationship that should’ve naturally been one she actively sought out.

 

Lucy finished dressing and lumbered out of her house with her gift in hand, to find Natsu loitering around her front door. There were some days that Lucy just couldn’t deal with his extra baggage, and those days seemed to grow closer and closer together. Today was absolutely one of those days, but she put on a smile and decided to deal with as much as she could.

 

“Hi Natsu, what’s up?” She said, as she started her walk to the guild. Natsu fell into step next to her and smiled brightly.

 

“Wanna go on a mission today? I was thinking of asking Erza if she can take us on an S-Class one.” Lucy sighed, of course that would be what he wanted, but her answer would be no. She had a mission to do for herself today, and for a guild sister. Regardless of how many jewels the request offered, she’d say no.

 

“Sorry Natsu, I’m going to be taking care of some personal business for a few days at least. Plus I got 2 hours of sleep at best.” Lucy mentally prepared herself for whining and some fire spewing. She knew she should’ve just Lucy kicked him into the river by her house.

 

“C’mon Luce!” The glare he received was a milestone in her timeline of death glares and he quickly backed off. He sulked behind her the whole way to the guild, but Lucy ignored him. She gently opened one door, which was a concept that Natsu didn’t seem to grasp particularly well, because he kicked the other door open with force. Lucy continued to ignore him and made her way to the bar and said hi to Mira.

 

“Hi Lucy, the usual?” She asked kindly with a smile on her face.

 

“No thanks Mira, I’d actually like to know where Lisanna is.” Mira looked slightly uncomfortable for a moment, but smiled and pointed to one of the side tables where Lisanna was munching on a scone. Lucy made a b-line towards her while waving her thanks to Mira. Lucy was suddenly nervous again, but pushed past it and took a seat across from the youngest Strauss.

 

“Hi Lisanna,” The short haired woman started slightly before planting a smile on her face. “How are you?” She asked tentatively, knowing full well that her smile was probably forced.

 

“I’m doing great!” Was her response, but it was too enthusiastic for Lucy. She smiled back and quickly rummaged through her bag, pulling out the corked bottle of bath salts.

Lucy saw the first genuine emotion from Lisanna that day, and smiled with relief.

 

“I made these for you. I make my own bath salts and I thought it’d be a nice thing for you. Mira told me that you moved into your own place, so I guess this is a house warming gift.” Lucy explained, earning another sincere smile and from Lisanna.

 

“Thank you so much, I just ran out this morning.” Lucy giggled at this explanation, and watched Lisanna uncork the stopper and take a long sniff. “How did you know that French Lavender was my favorite?” She seemed slightly suspicious, but pleased none-the-less.

 

“It was a lucky guess, I suppose,” Lucy explained, but continued on. “but thats not the only reason I came to talk to you today. I want to get to know you better, I feel like its something I should have done from the start.” Lucy gauged her reaction, and saw Lisanna’s pain flash in her clear blue eyes for a moment.

 

Lisanna reflected upon her suggestion, and noted how ironic it was that the person potentially responsible for her feeling left out, might be the one to solve part of the situation. Lucy had also been the only person so far to give her a house-warming gift. There was finally a break in the armor that she had held around herself for so long, and her eyes welled up a little and she took Lucy’s hands. Lucy smiled in return, and was glad that there was a sincere connection between the two.

 

“Now, I promised Levy that I’d meet her for lunch at our favorite bakery, but I am yours for the entire morning if you’re free.” Lucy felt grateful that Lisanna had opened up to her, even if it was just a little. She knew that it would take a bit for her to start talking about her issues, but Lucy was confident that they’d get there. Lisanna deserved to feel happy, and Lucy would bring her as much joy as she could.

 

The two young women talked for the whole morning while sipping two smoothies made by Mira, who gave them both a strange look when she gave them their drinks. Lucy leaned into the middle of the table as Mira walked away and whispered to Lisanna.

 

“She’s suspicious we might be plotting her downfall, isn’t she?” Lisanna burst into giggles, and Mira looked over her shoulder at her little sister. Lucy had managed to break through the boundaries that Lisanna had erected after the win at the Grand Magic Games so long ago. She did it in one morning, too. Mira smiled confidently, and in that moment the nagging worry in the back of her mind flitted away.

 

Lucy checked her watch and frowned; as much as she loved Levy, she really wanted to stay here and talk with Lisanna. She sighed unhappily, but was still excited to tell Levy about her potential new friendship.

 

“Oh Lucy, its 11:30, when are you meeting Levy?” Lucy looked up from her smoothie and smiled at Lisanna.

 

“I meet her at 12, which means I probably should get going soon. I was planning on asking her to go shopping with me on Friday, would you like to come with us?” Lisanna looked so happy, she was being invited out with friends, something that hadn’t happened for so long. She nodded wordlessly, and got up with Lucy and wrapped her arms around her in a huge hug. Lucy laughed a kind laugh and returned the hug before waving her goodbyes to the guild.

 

Mira came to collect their empty smoothie glasses and looked to a yawning Lisanna, who smiled tiredly up at her.

 

“Mira-nee, is the cot in the back room still available? I think I need a nap.”Mira smiled and nodded as Lisanna got up from her chair and grabbed her bag. She followed her sister into the back room and collapsed on the cot, passing out almost immediately. When she woke up 45 minutes later, Lisanna felt rested and refreshed. For the first time in what seemed like ages, Lisanna felt a small bud of hope crop up in her mind.

 

❦

 

Wednesday evening was one of pure chaos for Lucy. Natsu had managed to snag Lucy’s favorite pair of panties. He was waving them around the guild like an idiot, and most of the guild members were laughing at her expense. She was chasing the fire breathing dip around the guild, trying to snatch her undies back.

 

“Hey Luce, if you can beat me in a duel, I’ll give them back?” Natsu’s tongue had caught on fire, and he was laughing like a maniac. Lucy’s ire grew at an exponential rate.

 

“Uh, oops?” Natsu had burned her favorite underwear in front of the whole guild. Macao and Wakaba had completely lost their minds, and Romeo had his face in both hands. Natsu had something else to worry about though, and squeaked as he bolted from a furious Lucy. The guild doors swung shut as he made a break for it, and Lucy followed him with a cold fury escaping from the confines of her self control. When the doors closed behind her, the guild’s silence broke and whispers could be heard emerging from different tables.

 

Ten minutes later, Lucy slipped into the seat across from Lisanna and rested her face on the table. Lisanna looked slightly surprised to see Lucy at her table for the second time in a few short days, but welcomed her regardless. She was a bit scared, there was a part of her that was expecting the other shoe to drop. What if Lucy wanted her friendship for less than honest reasons?

 

“Those were my favorite pair.” Lucy whined between her fingers, and Lisanna patted her head awkwardly.

 

“Hey Lis, I’m heading home to make baked potatoes and a salad. Do you wanna come over for dinner?” Lisanna couldn’t resist, Lucy’s smile was so genuine. The two girls tromped off to Lucy’s place, but before exiting the guild Lucy looked over her shoulder to see where Levy was. Her mouth hung open when she saw Levy sitting in Gajeel’s lap, she nudged Lisanna’s side who did a double take.

 

“So, lets go back to your house and talk about _that_.” Lisanna said, putting emphasis on the last word. Her eyes were very wide.

 

“Yeah, that needs to be discussed.” Lucy couldn’t help but giggle, Levy had started to get the affection of the huge slayer that she’d always wanted.

 

❦

 

Friday came quickly, and the three girls found themselves giggling in a lingerie store. Levy was shy about her chest, but Lucy and Lisanna wouldn’t have any of it.

 

“Levy, you have amazing hips. Don’t worry about not having boobs so big they give you back aches.” Lisanna smiled, and Lucy nodded in agreement.

 

“Plus, you’re super smart. Your personality and intelligence matter way more than your body.” Lucy added in, and Levy blushed happily and settled on a lavender nighty with matching panties. Lucy watched Lisanna look through the sales rack and pick out a set of gold lingerie. She was having a great time, and was grateful that Lucy had taken the time to get to know her. Lisanna smiled as the other two gushed over her find, and thought about how Lucy had begun to change her life in the past week. She had shown interest in who Lisanna was as a person, there was nothing about Lucy’s kindness that seemed insincere.

 

“Oh damn, I forgot,” Lucy grumbled before heading to the panty collection. “I need to replace the pair of underwear that Natsu burned.” Lisanna burst into a full belly laugh that had most of the store looking in their direction.

 

They moved onto a dress store next, and shuffled through the sales rack again. Lucy found a pretty sun dress that was a very light pink that she bought immediately. When she was shopping she saw Levy and Lisanna chatting happily, though she knew that Lisanna’s pain was far from gone, Lucy was happy to see some improvement. She cared deeply for all of her guild members, and wanted to make sure that no one felt as unhappy as Lisanna did.

 

“Done!” She exclaimed, before suggesting that they head back to her apartment for movies and treats. All three women trudged along the streets of Magnolia carrying bags and bags of clothes and jewelry. They reached Lucy’s place and she pulled out her house key and opened the door, closing it behind the other two who had filed in quickly.

 

“Wow Lu-chan, what happened to your rug?” Levy giggled at the worn and burned rug.

 

“Natsu happened.” Lucy deadpanned, entirely unamused by the event that had caused the destruction of her throw rug. Lisanna decided to replace her rug when she had enough money. Lucy turned to the modest fridge in her house and pulled out a batch of cupcakes and pretzels.

 

“Yes! You made cupcakes Lu.” Levy was beyond excited, but Lisanna didn’t understand. Levy turned to her and explained. “Lu-chan makes the best cupcakes in the world.”

 

They ended up binge watching the Lord of The Rings trilogy, for Aragorn. Every time he’d come on screen Lisanna would blush madly, and Levy would giggle. Lucy enjoyed the movies immensely; she hadn’t watched them in ages and was glad to re-visit something she’d liked before. Although Lucy watched them for a different reasons, she loved the elves and the fight that the human race had put up against an all powerful evil. Her favorite character and a secret role model was Aowen, she was a pure warrior woman, and Lucy envied that about her. The movies ended and Lucy made them all tea; when she got back to the living room, the two girls were talking about guys.

 

“Ah Levy, don’t think we didn’t see your little lap adventure with Gajeel the other day.” Lucy smirked and Levy blushed while muttering something about traitors. “I’m not a traitor, and don’t worry about it Levy, Lisanna wouldn’t blab to the guild about it.” Then Lucy turned to Lisanna with a devilish smile. “So Lisanna, we all know that you and Natsu were childhood friends, but what about now? Do you have any feelings for him?” Lisanna’s eyes widened, and for a moment she saw her sister in Lucy.

 

“Well, I used to, but now I’m not so sure.” Her eyes became downcast and her voice quieted as her sentence trailed off into a whisper. Levy and Lucy inched closer and listened quietly. “Go on.” Lucy said. Thats when the emotional dam broke, and Lisanna confessed to everything. How she felt abandoned by her siblings, how Natsu didn’t talk to her anymore, and how she felt like the guild had stopped acting like family.

 

“Coming back home was like being flung into Edolas all over again. I had to adjust to a whole new set of characters.” Lisanna hiccuped a bit through her tears, but kept going. “Its so strange to not have people like Natsu around me all the time. I used to feel embraced by the guild, but now it just seems like another strange place for me.”

 

All three women were crying at this point, and were all hugging underneath the big blanket that Lucy had retrieved from her closet when they’d gotten cold. Levy was sniffling, and Lucy had silent tears slipping down her cheeks. Lucy had summoned Plue in the middle of this, and handed him to Lisanna. She clung to the little guy with so hard that he squeaked. All three tearful women giggled at this, and Plue “punned”. Lisanna fell in love with the little guy right then and there.

 

“You deserved so much better, Lis.” Levy’s broken voice pipped up, and she wasn’t wrong. Lucy couldn’t bring herself to talk, so she just laid her head on Lisanna’s shoulder and held her hand. Lucy felt incredibly guilty because there were times when she felt responsible for Natsu, like an older sister. She should have told him to talk to Lisanna, to pay attention to her. There were so many things she could have done to make the situation better, but instead she did nothing. She vowed to do everything she could to make sure Lisanna felt at home.

 

Two days later, Lucy was in the library with Levy. She was furious, Natsu had burned the curtains on her bathroom window. Lucy knew it was an accident, but she couldn’t help but be mad. She was at the end of her rope with the boy, and it was like he was intentionally burning the remainder of her self control. Levy gave her a sympathetic look.

 

“Hi you two.” It was Lisanna, and Lucy was glad that she had ventured into the library. Lucy summoned Plue, gave him a hug, and handed him to Lisanna. She picked up the little spirit and snuggled him; Plue cuddled into Lisanna. They had become friends since the sleepover.

 

“Hey girlie, came down to read?” Lisanna nodded, and quickly searched for the book she had eyed the other day when she was wandering around. She came back to their table about 10 minutes later holding a few books under her arm, but looking somewhat confused.

 

“Yeah, I just can’t find the book I want.” Levy’s head emerged from the enormous tome that she had been engrossed in for the past 20 minutes.

 

“Maybe I can help? I know where a lot of the books are in here, and I can probably tell you where it might be.” Levy offered, smiling and putting down her book.

 

“‘Animal Soul Takeover: A Full Spectrum Study on Take-Over Magic.’ It should be on the second to last shelf on the left, but it’s not.” Lisanna explained, and it took a moment for her to realize that Levy was pointing at Lucy. She sheepishly rummaged through her book bag and pulled out the item Lisanna wanted.

 

“I wanted to know more about your magic.” Lucy said as she handed the book to Lisanna, who gratefully took it and flipped to the table of contents.

 

“So aside from him destroying your carpet, what has Natsu annihilated?” Lisanna asked, she was truly curious as to how bad it really was.

 

“Lets see, he’s set most of my apartment on fire at one point or another. He’s crushed my toaster, ripped my favorite dress while trying to put it on. Oh and Gray has frozen my bath a few times. Once while I was in it.” Lucy counted off the incidents on her fingers, and although Levy and Lisanna were practically on the floor laughing, Lucy was less amused. She’d had to repair or hire someone to repair the damage her team had caused to her home. She was quickly realizing that her lifestyle wasn’t sustainable in the slightest. She needed a change so badly.

 

“Yeah, but the next time he destroys something of mine, I’ll let Virgo punish him.” The smile on Lucy’s face was nothing short of terrifying, and Lisanna wondered where she had picked it up. “That’s what happened when I chased him out of the guild last week. I found him hiding behind a tree, and I threatened him with Virgo the next time he destroyed my stuff.” Both Levy and Lisanna returned with peels of laughter.

 

Lisanna was laughing, and observing the little group that had formed around _her_ of all people. Something she felt was missing slowly started to come back; Lisanna felt safe in the company of the two mages seated at the library table.


	2. Chapter 2

Alright! I want to send a huge thank you to GemNika and Eien ni Touko for helping me out with this chapter, along with the rest of the gals.

Reviews, follows, and favorites are much appreciated.

 

I own nothing.

 

Weeks went by quickly and happily for the trio of girls, and while Lucy went on missions with Team Natsu still, and Levy with Shadow Gear, the three became their own unofficial team. Lucy had beaten Natsu around the head a few times of some incredibly insensitive remarks to Lisanna about her weight, and although the sight of Natsu cowering below an angry Lucy had made Lisanna laugh, Lucy knew that she had been hurt by his words. Erza and Gray had also found this hilarious, and Gray had teased Natsu about it for days on end.

 

Lucy had also done some work with Mira, and had talked to her about Lisanna. Mira had been the one to start to conversation, about how worried she had been for her little sister. The two had eventually sat down for a late lunch, and Lucy had told Mira that she was so frustrated with her current set up. Lucy explained all the events revolving around Natsu and how she was at the end of her rope and needed an out.

 

“Aside from Natsu burning my panties, lets talk about Lisanna. I think she’s really hurting Mira, and maybe some older sister bonding time would be good.” Lucy suggested kindly, hoping that a better relationship with Mira would help Lisanna with her anxiety. She knew that Lisanna needed support, but that it couldn’t be just her and Levy.

 

“I haven’t known how to approach her, Lucy. Its been so hard because I feel like she’s trying to grow up too fast, she already moved out.” Mira seemed so dejected, and Lucy hated seeing her like that.

 

“She was a young teen when she was taken to Edolas, Mira, but she still aged there and became a young woman.” Mira’s eyes shone with realization. It had struck her that she’d missed watching her sister grow into a woman. She had missed watching Lisanna develop into a person, the small things that Lisanna had liked as child faded when she grew into an adult. They had a gap in their relationship because of the time they didn’t spend together.

 

“Thank you, Lucy. I think I understand better now.” Mira paused to let the information sink in, but continued on. “Now, about your problem. Maybe go on a long term solo-mission to give you two some space? Or maybe go on a training trip?” Her suggestions weren’t half bad.

 

“Those are good ideas, but Natsu will bug me when he sees me at the request board. If I go training, he’ll follow me and train with me. I’d just like it if I could get away.” Lucy rubbed her temples from the stress the whole situation had caused her. “Mira, what would you say if I wanted to temporarily leave the guild? I wouldn’t have my stamp removed, but I wouldn’t be at the guild. I wouldn’t be in Magnolia.” Mira gave Lucy an almost unreadable look.

 

Lucy had been thinking about taking a leave of absence after the Grand Magic Games; that was when Natsu had become less and less respectful of her words and had gained a one track mind about being around her as much as possible. Soon after that, Lisanna went into a downward spiral and Lucy had struggled with the guilt. Lucy had tried to form different ideas of how to solve her end of the problem without leaving a huge mess at the guild. No plan she formed had the desired ending for her guild, and so Lucy had to make a choice. She could either let herself suffer in the guild with a suffocating Dragon Slayer breathing down her neck and destroying her things, or she could free herself and cause a mess for others to deal with. It wasn’t until she learned more about who Lisanna was that Lucy knew that she could leave.

 

“What are you saying, Lucy?” Her voice trembled a little, and Lucy felt badly for what she wanted for a moment, but pressed on. She had to make this push for herself, Natsu had gotten unhealthily clingy and Lucy didn’t know how much more she could take.

 

“I guess I’m saying is that I’d work for the guild, and help those who need it on missions while I trained in a secret area outside of Magnolia.” Lucy explained, she hoped that Mira understood that she needed a break from all the stress that she’d experienced recently. “Plus, maybe if I leave for a bit, Natsu would stop following me like a lost puppy and learn to respect my space a bit more.”

 

“If you do leave, Lisanna would be devastated. She’d probably lose her temper at the guild as a whole.” That was something Mira wanted to avoid; Lisanna’s temper wasn’t as bad as Mira’s, but it still involved a lot of yelling and breaking of things. Mira eyed Lucy, and wondered if she knew the havoc she’d wreak just by leaving. Natsu would destroy a wall at least in his furious rage, and though Gray would try to control his anger, the area around him would be coated with a thin layer of ice.

 

“Maybe thats what the guild needs, and what Lisanna needs. She needs to go head to head with the people she feels mistreated her.” Mira listened intently, and was quite impressed with the fact that Lucy understood Lisanna’s rage. She couldn’t say she was pleased with Lucy temporarily leaving, but she clearly needed a break from Natsu, and the boy needed to be taught some common sense. “I might be leaving to get away from Natsu, but don’t think I haven’t thought about the effect it would have on the guild.”

 

It was still hard for Mira to grasp; she wanted her guild to be whole and happy, and not to be annexed from one another. A warm summer breeze blew past the two at the patio, and Mira felt change kiss her cheek. Lucy was growing into the person she wanted to be, and Mira couldn’t hold her back, no matter how hard it would be on the guild.

 

“So you’ll talk to Master about it?” She questioned Lucy while taking a bite of her framboise mousse. She nodded seriously, and Mira kept on asking questions. “What will you do if the person who needs help is on an S-Class mission?”Lucy froze for a moment, not because the answer was bad, but because it was Mira. She’d hear who Lucy wanted as a mentor, and probably try to set them up. That was the last thing Lucy wanted; she was focused on becoming stronger than Mira herself, but she knew that she’d never be as scary as Match-Maker Mira.

 

“I’ll ask Master if he can set up for Jura to train me.” She said quietly, not making eye contact. “I figured that as the person people need to call for help, who better to train me than one of the strongest men alive?” Mira, however, smiled in a supportive and motherly manner.

 

“I think that is a very smart idea, Lucy, and Jura is quite a nice man. I think he’d be an excellent person for you to work with.” Lucy appreciated that Mira wasn’t trying to set her up with Jura, but knew that what she had just said was as close as she could get to it. “When do you plan to put this idea into action?”

 

“I’m going to talk to Master when we get back to the guild.” Lucy looked sad, and Mira realized that as much as Lucy needed a break, it was also very hard for her to leave her friends behind. She took the young blonde’s hand and squeezed gently.

 

“I know it must be equal parts hard for you and exhilarating, and I think this’ll be an amazing experience in many ways.” Lucy could only nod as tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.This was so complicated for her; there was a huge part of Lucy that ached at the thought of leaving her team and her guild sisters. There was also a fear in her; she knew this would make Lisanna doubt their friendship, and Lucy couldn’t imagine not having her as a friend. Lucy wanted so badly to sneak the youngest Strauss sibling along with her, but this was her journey.

 

The two women paid for their meal and trudged back to the guild. Although Lucy felt nervous about talking to Master, she knew that she had to. Lucy gulped when they arrived at the guild, and Mira rubbed her back comfortingly and whispered in her ear. “The Master will lend you his ear, Lucy. You’ve thought this through, and you’re in the right when it comes to Natsu.” Lucy nodded so slightly that if Mira hadn’t been looking, she wouldn’t have seen it. She quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor office that held the teeny guild master that she adored. A sharp knock and him calling “enter”, and Lucy found herself sitting across from Master Makarov.

 

“What can I do for you today, Lucy?” Lucy fidgeted and avoided the master’s eye when he asked her the question, but went on to explain the situation.

 

“Master, for the past few months I’ve been observing Lisanna’s behavior. At first she seemed okay, but recently she slipped into a downward spiral.” Lucy paused and looked at Master Makarov for a moment, who didn’t seem surprised at all. “However, I felt partially responsible for her problems. Master put yourself in her shoes, how would you feel if you came back from a strange world, and your crush was best friends with someone else? She’s felt like a stranger in her own home for a while now.”

 

The old man nodded, he understood exactly what the woman before him was saying. “I agree, Lucy, but Lisanna seems to be doing better.” Lucy nodded but continued on explaining.

 

“Yes, because I did something about it. It was too painful to see her pretend to be okay every day. I know she isn’t completely healed yet, either. This is going to kill her, but I need to get away from the guild for a while.“ Lucy’s eyes hardened and continued on in a determined fashion. “Natsu has been making me crazy, and he’s not respecting my requests for space or some peace. This needs to end, and I need a real shift in my life.” Makarov looked at Lucy in astonishment, this was not the attitude of the bubbly Fairy Tail mage he knew. She was channeling her inner heiress; she was polite, charming, articulate, yet Makarov could sense an unyielding and dominating will behind her words.

 

“And what do you suppose this change in your life would be, Lucy?” Makarov thought Lucy would put on a calculating smile and tell him exactly what needed to be done. What he didn’t expect was for her to deflate before his eyes and avoid making eye contact.

 

“I’ll need to not be around for a long while, Natsu needs to mature before I can comfortably be around him again.” Lucy felt so guilty for not only hatching a secret plan and only telling Mira, but she also felt badly about leaving without warning. ”Mira warned me that Lisanna might lose her temper, but I think she needs to have it out with the guild.” Lucy rehashed the rest of her conversation with Mira about Lisanna’s recent issues. The old man sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. She was right, of course, but it didn’t make this situation any easier to handle.

 

“Master… I know this is complicated, but I’ve thought this through, a lot.” Master was having a hard time processing the emotions he was experiencing. It seemed to the old Master that Lucy’s plan was two pronged; she wanted to leave for Lisanna, and to get way from Natsu. She seemed caught between guilt and ecstasy when explaining her plans.

 

“Of course you’ve thought this through. Tell me your plan.” Lucy relaxed, as it seemed that Makarov had caved to her request.

 

“I will go to the small town at the base of Mt. Hakobe, and set up a small Fairy Tail outpost there. It will not be a guild, however I will keep a communication lacrima on me at all times. If anyone in the guild gets in trouble on a mission, they will call and I will answer.” Lucy could feel the adrenaline begin to rush through her body, she was really leaving Magnolia.

 

“And what if the person who needs help is on an S-Class mission?” Makarov had thought this would be the question that made her falter and potentially withdraw. His dreams were smashed when he saw a devilish smirk appear on her cherubic face.

 

“Thats the best part, Master! I don’t want to be an S-Class, I want to surpass even that rank.” Lucy paused to see his pupils dilate, and her smile grew wider. “I need a trainer, and all the books available on Celestial Magic. Also, I will need you to call Lamia Scale, I wish for my mentor to be Jura.” Makarov groaned, not that his brat was growing, but that he’d have to explain it to Ooba Babasaama. She’d then attempt to spin him once she found out that her most powerful wizard was requested to aide in the training of one of their mages.

 

“When will you leave?” His voice was resigned, and Lucy’s will wavered for a moment. She steeled herself for the onslaught of emotions she knew would come crashing into her.

 

“I’ll leave the moment things are prepared, I’ve already looked into places to stay. There’s not much of a choice, but if nothing works out there, I’ll go to Shirotsume.” She wouldn’t let her Master know just how scared and excited she was at the possibility of this actually happening.

 

“And if Jura says no, or can’t?” Part of Makarov wanted to believe he could convince Lucy to stay, he had a soft spot for the young blonde. He didn’t want her to leave. He watched Lucy’s eyes harden with an ambition that he’d never seen in her before.

 

“Then I will find Jellal and Meredy; they are my back-up plan. Jellal knows Heavenly Body Magic, and though it is not Celestial Magic, he can help me with it. He is also a former Wizard Saint. Although I’d prefer it to be Jura, he holds a great deal of my respect.” Lucy saw her Master accept defeat, and watched as the small man lit up a communication lacrima and the back of Jura’s head appear in the crystalline ball.

 

“Makarov-dono, how may I help you today?” His deep voice reverberated through the room.

 

“Jura, I have an unusual request for you. One of my brats has requested a mentor, and she requested you specifically.” Lucy heard an amused “Oh? Do go on.” from the man, and continued to listen in on the conversation. “Indeed, she is asking me for a temporary leave from the guild so a fellow member will cease his bullheaded behavior.” 

 

“I would very much like to know who this individual is, Makarov-dono.” His rumbling voice sounded once again through the lacrima. Master looked over to Lucy, who nodded her head, before turning the orb to face Lucy so Jura could see.

 

“Ah Lucy,” Jura seemed mildly surprised to see her, they hadn’t had any real contact since the Oracion Seis ordeal. “Why do you want to leave your guild, even if it is temporary?”

 

“Natsu has been really inappropriately pushy with me, and he’s not respecting me when I tell him to back off. I’ve almost kicked him into the canal a few times. I don’t trust him the way I used to.” Lucy finished off her shortened tale, and Jura stroked his beard. She was very much in a bind; Natsu would not leave the guild, and Lucy wanted to be trained. He looked at her through the communication lacrima, and saw determination glowing in her eyes. He admired the spark he saw in her eyes, the excitement across her features, but there was something else in her expression that he found most intriguing. He found ambition lurking in the midst of her honest emotions.

 

“Indeed, I will be your mentor on one condition.” Lucy looked ecstatic, but tried to keep herself calm. “You will tell me what the ulterior motive is that you have yet to explain.” Lucy blushed, but held her gaze.

 

“I want to become strong,” She paused, unsure of how to phrase her next reason without being incredibly insulting to the team that, for the most part, she absolutely adored. “and I love my team to death, they’re reliable and for the most part very caring. There are, however, two issues with them. The first is that Natsu constantly bugs me, and at first I felt incredibly secure with his omnipresence in my life. Now it is an inappropriate and unwanted issue that I battle a lot. We’ve discussed this point, and it upsets me greatly. The second issue is that they’re consistently destructive, and I’d like to live a life where I’m not continuously fearing financial instability.” At this point, Jura was smiling and nodding along with her story. Lucy was surprised that Jura could tell that wasn’t the whole story. He began to stroke his beard again, and Lucy allowed herself to eye the hair growing from his chin, and noticed how silky it looked.

 

“I see your point. Thank you for being honest with me. I would like to know a few more things, if you don’t mind.” When he saw Lucy nod and smile, he continued on. “Why do you wish for me to be your mentor? Why not Laxus or Gildarts?”

 

“They’re both perverts. Laxus has his team and does missions, while Gildarts just wanders. Neither are capable of training me the way I want. Plus, you’re dependable and trustworthy.” Her answer was blunt, it made Jura chuckle and Master twitch awkwardly. She had just outright called his grandson a pervert without batting an eye, and it was no secret that Gildarts could be quite inappropriate.

 

“Ah, Lucy would you turn the Lacrima so that we both may speak to Jura?” Lucy nodded and shifted the glass orb on the desk they were both visible. “Jura, when will you be free to begin this training session?”

 

“How does a week sound? That way Lucy can get moved out to the new location, and I can make sure my guild can handle me being away for extended periods of time.” Lucy nodded and Makarov didn’t have any problems with the plan.

 

“Jura, I was thinking of going to Shirotsume, or to the town below Mt. Hakobe. What do you think of this?” Jura stroked his beard, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

 

“I have a small cottage on the outskirts of Shirotsume, it would be an ideal place to train. The only problem is that the house would need cleaning and possibly some repair.” Lucy smiled brightly, and felt honored the Jura would share his home with her.

 

“That’s not a problem, with the amount of times Natsu has destroyed my place, I’ve gotten good at repairing houses.” Both wizard saints laughed at this.

 

Lucy realized they’d been in the office for a while now, and she should probably get going. She had some things to prepare before she left.

 

“Do we have anything further to discuss?” Lucy looked to her master as he spoke. She realized just how much she’d miss the old man.

 

“No, I’m good.” Lucy said quietly from her seat, she felt tired even though it was only 3:30pm.

 

“I have a great deal that needs to be attended to, Lucy I will see you soon. I look forward to seeing your magic grow.” With that, the Lacrima blinked out of power and Lucy sat back in her chair.

 

“Thank you for all of this, Master.” The old man smiled at her, but quickly shooed her out of his office. Lucy suspected that the old man would be cuddling a box of tissues for a while.

 

Lucy descended the stairs into an almost empty guild, Mira was still behind the bar while Jet and Droy fawned over Levy, who was trying to read a book. Lucy hopped down the bottom few steps and made her way to Mira, who placed a mug of green tea on the bar.

 

“Hey Mira.” Lucy seemed very subdued to Mira, but she returned her greeting.

 

“What did Master say?” She was almost too afraid to ask, but knew that she’d have to prepare for the worst.

 

“It’s all planned.” Lucy smiled slightly, before her brows pushed together and creases formed on her forehead. “They’re going to be so mad, I have to start fixing things before I even mess them up.” She said in a hushed whisper. Mira smiled but giggled at Lucy’s plight.

 

“They will forgive you in time, Lucy. You are carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders for the good of the guild, and when they understand it, they will appreciate it.” Mira’s words couldn’t be more true, and it was comforting to know that Mira was in her camp.

 

“Anyway, I’ve got to tie up some loose ends. Thanks for everything, Mira.” The bar maid came around and gave Lucy a huge hug. She whispered in Lucy’s ear something that made her guilt utter a feral roar in her conscious. They parted and Lucy left the guild and went to the shops. Her first stop would be the magic store, she’d try to pick up a Canis Minor key for Lisanna. She’d get a book for Levy that she had been eyeing, and have cake delivered to Erza.

 

Lucy finished her errands and made her way home. The moment she got close to her door, she heard rummaging in her apartment, and quickly opened it. Natsu had his face stuck in her fridge and hadn’t even noticed that Lucy was there. She ignored him, and sat down at her kitchen table and began to read. After 10 minutes of Natsu still not pulling his head out of her fridge, she decided it was time to say something.

 

“Natsu, please leave me something I can make for dinner.” The boy started and looked at her, noticing her presence for the first time.

 

“Hi Luce! Do you have any more of those potatoes? They were really good!” Lucy sighed, Natsu had eaten all of her pre-baked potatoes. She sighed and told him that he’d have to wait until she baked more potatoes.

 

“You mean you’re going to get more from the store?” Lucy looked at the last potato that Natsu was holding; it had huge bite marks in it, and it was raw. Lucy lost her rag.

 

A lot of yelling and hair pulling later, Lucy’s apartment was Natsu-free. She took a deep breath and examined the damage done to her fridge, and noted that he’d eaten all the potatoes. The cake that was meant for Erza when she dropped by was half smushed, half eaten. On the plus side, the bell peppers and salad hadn’t been maimed, along with the raw chicken breasts hidden in the back.

 

Lucy summoned Aries and cried into her wooly dress for a good 15 minutes. Lucy cooked her dinner, and Aries stayed with her for company. Lucy found the Spirit’s company very soothing, and told her about her training plans. Aries was incredibly supportive, and noted that Capricorn would be very pleased.

 

“Aries, when you go back to the spirit world, will you tell my team to prepare for some intense training?” Lucy asked kindly; she knew that she had to be gentle with her words towards Aries.

 

“Yes I will!” Aries’ lower lip was trembling, and she patted Lucy’s head in an affectionate manner. “I have to go now, I’m sorry!” In a poof of gold magic, Aries was back in the spirit world. The week couldn’t go by fast enough.

 

Lucy lay in her bed and stared at her ceiling, and realized that it wouldn’t been her ceiling soon. She had spoken to her landlady and told the old woman that it was her last month of renting from her. She’d be gone for long enough that holding her apartment wasn’t worth the money. Lucy was torn, and although she knew that she was going through with everything and that she’d adapt, she’d miss her pink apartment.

 

Days seemed to slip by for Lucy, as she spent every waking hour with as many of her loved ones as she could. Lucy found herself squished between Lisanna and Bixlow on a somewhat quiet thursday evening. Most of the Raijinshuu were out, and Bixlow was feeling particularly social. Lucy had never really gotten to know the Seith mage, but he seemed fairly nice, albeit slightly manic at times.

 

“Ugh, I’ll be right back.” Lucy groaned and stood up, shuffling past Lisanna towards the guild bathroom. Lucy completed her task and made her way back to her table to find that Lisanna had switched her glass of white wine and Lucy’s hard cider. The silver haired woman was sitting next to Bixlow, and the two seemed to be hitting it off.

 

“Hey Bixlow, I’m curious to know if you have any other non-battle souls? I know Lucy has a few spirits that are purely companions.” Bixlow looked slightly startled at her question but answered it honestly.

 

“Oh I have a few. They’re very shy though, so they don’t come to the guild with me.” Lisanna continued to show her curiosity by asking Bixlow more questions about his magic. He seemed pretty pleased by her interest, and asked her questions in return.

 

A little vibration at Lucy’s hip made her look down at her keys; one of her silver ones was making a fuss, and as Lucy pulled her keyring out she discovered it was Plue. She plucked the key from the ring and summoned the little spirit, who reached up with his arms towards Lucy. She picked him up and felt what could only be described as a kiss on the cheek, before he wriggled out of her arms and bounced over to Lisanna. Lucy had confided in Plue the other day and told him her plans to leave; ever since then, the little spirit had wanted to spend as much time with Lisanna as possible. The only other spirit Lucy had that was friends with a guild mate was Loke, who had been close to Gray during his time on Earthland.

 

Lucy observed the two talking, and hoped that Bixlow would be there for Lisanna when she left to train. Mira’s whispered words from earlier in the week reappeared in Lucy’s mind, and she felt the familiar rush of remorse. _“Lisanna thinks of you as a sister, she’d adopt you into our family if she could.”_ Damn, Mira just had to go and make leaving even harder for her.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello lovely humans,and I have a new chapter. It is obviously this one, and I very much appreciate reviews, follows and favorites. A huge thank you to my current reviewers, and the gals.

 

I own nothing, so on with the chapter.

 

 

Lucy’s last week in Magnolia had gone by in a blur, and she had observed Lisanna and Bixlow talking at least twice in the guild before the end of the week. Lucy was hoping Lisanna had made a new connection with the older mage. Now she was packing in the dead of night so that she wouldn’t be bothered during her secret task. She hadn’t told anyone about her deal with Master except for her landlady and Mira. Lucy sighed and looked at her watch, it was 2am, and she was supposed to pack, get some rest, and get on the train to Kunngi by 6am. She’d arrive by 11-ish and then take a carriage to Shirotsume, which would take the rest of the day. She had called Jura the previous day to ask about when exactly she should arrive, and this was the plan they had come up with.

 

Lucy must have been stressed out of her mind, because both Loke and Virgo opened their own gates and started helping her. They got it done in what Lucy was sure was a record breaking time frame, and Lucy thanked her spirits profusely.

 

“I will await your punishment, Hime.” With that, Virgo puffed away. Lucy turned to look at her sleeping bag on the floor to see Loke climbing in.

 

“Loke… what are you doing?” Her eyebrow was raised at her Lion Spirit.

 

“I am preparing for a night of-“

 

“Forced gate closure.” Lucy sighed at Loke’s antics as she watched him fade into gold dust, a handsome smile on his face and a giggle surely escaping from his mouth.

 

Lucy set her alarm for 5am, and curled up in a little ball next to her packed bags. Lucy was exhausted, but somehow sleep never came to her. She tossed and turned most of the night; she wondered how mad the guild would be, and what working with Jura would be like. She was sure he’d put her through the mill, but was also sure that he’d know when to stop and would hopefully listen if she said she was at her limit. Lucy finally drifted off at 4am for what was really a nap, and was rudely awakened by the alarm. Lucy grumpily dragged herself out of her make-shift bed and grabbed her bags. She hoped her plan worked, and that everything was properly in place.

 

The walk to the train station was agonizing, partially because of her exhausted body, and partially because of her aching heart. Lucy purchased her ticket and waited on a bench at the station, praying that she didn’t run into anyone from her guild. It turned out that was not her fate on this day, and she inwardly cursed when she saw floating totems not too far away. At this point Lucy didn’t even have any hope that Bixlow wouldn’t find her, and she was a terrible liar. Low and behold, the totems came her way along with their master.

 

“What are you doin’ here, Cosplayer?” Bixlow was already suspicious by his tone, and Lucy just groaned. His totems were uncharacteristically quite.

 

“Well, I’m going to train somewhere.” If she wasn’t going to outright lie, Lucy would try to be as vague as possible. Bixlow wasn’t buying it, and Lucy had another 15 minutes until her train arrived.

 

“You haven’t mentioned it to anyone, go on and tell the whole story.” Lucy gave him a sharp glare, and Bixlow glared back. “Go on, I know you have time.”

 

“Fine,” Another scathing look was thrown his way, but she moved her bags over so her could sit next to her. “Have you noticed how Lisanna, who was Natsu’s best friend, somehow just faded into the background?” Bixlow nodded, his lips set into a grim line. Lucy began to fill him in on everything; her plans to leave so that Lisanna would have it out with the guild, and how she needed to train. She conveniently left out the fact that she was training with Jura, but filled him in on all the important details. She told him how done she was with Natsu and his childish behavior, and how much she wanted to throttle the boy.

 

“Please keep an eye out for her; you don’t have to do much, but be aware of the fact that she may try to hide her issues. You also can’t tell anyone until tonight when I’ve arrived at my destination, that way my sent has faded enough that a certain dragon slayer can’t find me.” Lucy pointed her finger at Bixlow, and glared again.

 

“You’ve got yourself a deal, missy. What if it goes wrong; what if this destroys Lis?” Lucy looked into Bixlow’s face and saw worry lines forming in his forehead. In that moment, Lucy mused that it could be possible for Bixlow to have feelings for Lisanna. If he did tell anyone about her departure before it was time, she might let it slip to Mira. That would be fun regardless of whether or not he broke the rule.

 

“Then I messed up, but I doubt that’ll happen. Lisanna is strong, but she feels out of place in what should be her home.” Lucy scowled as Bixlow ruffled her hair. The taller mage turned to leave, but Lucy grabbed onto his wrist to stop him. She shuffled around in her bags and pulled out a long, thin box. “If she doesn’t seem too mad at me, can you give this to her? I was going to send it from my training area, but the sooner she gets it, the better.”

 

“Sure thing, Cosplayer; I’ll take your word for it, thanks for the warning though. Good luck training, I want to fight you when you get back.” A chorus of “fight, fight!” from his totems brought a small smile to Lucy’s face, and some warmth in her heart. The train pulled into the station, and Lucy waved her goodbye to Bixlow as she boarded and searched for an empty compartment. He stuck his tongue out at her and returned the gesture with gusto.

 

❦

 

Lucy stared out of the window of the small carriage bumping along the winding path, and she was starting to get slightly nauseated. She hadn’t eaten for most of the day, and would have to find something to snack on when she arrived. Lucy checked her watch, and noted that she had been in the carriage for a few hours now. She hoped the trip would be over soon.

 

“Miss? Miss!” Lucy jolted awake and rubbed her cheek where it had rested on the glass. “We’re here, miss.”

 

“Ah thank you sir, how much do I owe?” Lucy rummaged in her purse while waiting for the man’s response. She did her best to ignore her rumbling stomach.

 

“200 jewels, miss.” Lucy quickly pulled the money, plus a generous tip, from her wallet and handed it to driver. Before she grabbed her bag and trotted off towards the nearest bench. She pulled out her communications lacrima and channeled some magic into it; Jura’s smiling face and beard appeared in the orb.

 

“Lucy, how was your trip?” Jura asked as he picked up the lacrima from the side table it had sat on. He appeared to be seated on a comfortable couch, with a huge bookshelf behind him.

 

“It was exhausting, but otherwise uneventful. I am in Shirotsume right now, is there somewhere we can meet, or is it possible to give me directions to your place?” Lucy didn’t know her way around Shirotsume, but assumed that Jura did. She was beginning to feel the flutters of happy anxiety that accompanied seeing an old friend.

 

“Which street are you on?” His deep voice sounded through the lacrima, and Lucy turned to see a sign post reading ‘Green St.’ one way, and another reading ‘Willow Ln.’ going the other way.

 

“I’m at the corner of Green and Willow, is this a convenient place to meet?” An affirmative nod relieved Lucy slightly, meaning that she wouldn’t have to find her way to a better place. She was quite comfortable on her bench.

 

“I will see you shortly, Lucy.” The lacrima flickered out, and waited nervously as she tried to keep herself awake. She’d hate for Jura to arrive to her passed out on a bench, and she summoned Virgo to take her bags into the spirit world.

 

“Hime, I will assume you shall deny me punishment once again.” Virgo said in her flat tone, making Lucy smile. She might be annoyed at Virgo’s constant request for punishment, but she adored her spirit. The maid spirit made to return to the spirit world, but Lucy patted the bench, indicating that Virgo should sit next to her.

 

“Yes Virgo, please sit. I want you to meet Jura, he is an incredible earth mage and the person who will be training me. I think you two will get along.” Lucy saw a rare sparkle in Virgo’s eyes, and Lucy felt an emotional connection between her and Virgo. She realized that her spirits had worked hard to know her, but she hadn’t worked to know her spirits. She vowed to call each one out when she could, and find out more about them.

 

“Thank you, Hime. I would be honored to meet your friend, perhaps I could get some more information from him on earth magic.” Virgo seemed more upbeat than usual, yet still her stoic self. Lucy felt guilt grip her for a moment, but she heard the tell tail sound of wooden sandals hitting the cobbled street and looked up to see Jura in all his glory. His beard was swaying as he walked with his hands tucked into his sleeves. Lucy smiled and waved at him, and stood up with Virgo following suit.

 

“Hello Jura.” Lucy was very excited to see the Wizard Saint in person.

 

“Hello Lucy, it is good to see you again. Who is the individual behind you?” Jura was an incredibly calm person, and that aspect was absolutely reflected in his voice.

 

“Jura, this is Virgo. She is one of my Celestial Spirits, and she uses earth magic.” Both Virgo and Jura bowed slightly to each other. The meeting was brief, and shortly afterwards Virgo puffed away with Lucy’s bags. After her departure, Lucy followed Jura back to his cabin, occasionally making small talk. The walk out of town was relatively short, but before Lucy knew it, she was in the woods walking down a mossy trail. They walked quietly, but Lucy didn’t mind, she was too focused on the beauty of her surroundings.

 

Lucy walked right into Jura’s back, and for a brief moment, she felt how warm he was. She quickly leapt back and apologized to him, but Jura merely chuckled and brushed it off. It was then that Lucy noticed the small cabin in front of her, it was charming and slightly rustic. It didn’t look like a house, it looked like a home, and Lucy couldn’t wait to enter.

 

“Jura, this place is so sweet.” Lucy smiled up at him, but Jura raised his thick eyebrows incredulously. He opened the door never the less, and Lucy was once again charmed by the small cottage. She followed Jura as he showed her the small kitchen with an island for the dining table; next to it was a well stocked library with a comfortable looking couch. She recognized it from the call she had made earlier, and Lucy couldn’t wait to tackle this room, but she followed Jura to another door that happened to be her room. It was small, with the bed situated in a corner facing the window.

 

“I must say, Lucy, you have Makarov-dono wrapped around your finger.” Jura’s statement confused Lucy, she never thought herself to be special to the Master.

 

“What do you mean?” Lucy asked as she followed Jura out to the small island, and took a seat across from him.

 

“The vast majority of the collection of books in the Library was from him. Only a few of those are my own.” Lucy was shocked at that statement, and felt her eyes well with tears before she furiously wiped them away.

 

“Part of my request was for Master to send all the books he could on Celestial Magic, and only a fraction of the books in your library are on that subject.” The small man really had gone above and beyond for Lucy in that aspect. “He won’t be too pleased with me when Lisanna verbally shreds Natsu to bits when she realizes I’m gone, though.”

 

“Chop these, please.” Jura passed Lucy a cutting board and a handful of carrots and celery. She immediately started chopping the pieces as evenly as possible. “Is this Lisanna the youngest Strauss sibling? Her older sister is The Demon, Mirajane, no?”

 

“Yes, Mira and I are pretty close. I talked to her about leaving before I talked to Master; she is not someone I’d want to piss off, no matter how close we are.” Jura smiled slightly, and handed Lucy more vegetables to chop. She realized just how easy it was to be around the large man, and that their conversations flowed without any awkwardness.

 

Jura set two bowls down at the small table, one in front of Lucy, and then sat down at the opposite end of the island. The soup smelled delicious, and Lucy quickly dipped her spoon into the meal. It was divine, and Lucy made sure to compliment Jura on his excellent food. She swore that a sheepish smile graced his face for a moment, causing his beard to shift, but it was gone before she could be sure. When the meal was finished Lucy reached over for his bowl placed it under her own, and brought them to the sink where she began to wash up.

 

“Thank you for doing the dishes, Lucy.” Lucy looked over her shoulder and mentioned to Jura how it was the least she could do. While she already enjoyed being with Jura, she didn’t want to be a burden. He was already taking a leave of absence from his guild just to train her.

 

“Will we start training tomorrow?” Lucy tried to hide how eager she was, but there was still a giddy edge to her voice. She couldn’t help that an enthusiastic smile had adorned her face.

 

“Yes, and on that note, you’ll need to be up fairly early. We will meditate in the morning, and then we break for lunch, after that you will do cardio workouts while I read up on Celestial Magic.” Lucy listened to his plan as she wiped down the counters to avoid damaging the wood.

 

“Jura, how much do you know about Celestial Magic? I know that some people would probably start out with a basic beginners book, but I’d recommend “Opening Strong Gates” as a first read, then go back to the basics.” Lucy explained, as the book she recommended had helped her in understanding that opening a strong gate for her spirits meant a faster summon. It was also incredibly well written, and just so happened to be one of Lucy’s favorites. Jura stroked his beard at this suggestion, and Lucy felt envious for a moment. His beard seemed softer than her own silky hair.

 

“Thank you for your suggestion; the only things I know about Celestial Magic is the fact that you use keys to summon your spirits. I’ve seen you cast a spell before, but you were cheated and unable to complete it.” Lucy looked slightly uncomfortable at the reminder of her loss, but was internally comforted at his acknowledgement of Raven Tail’s foul play.

 

“How did you know?” Lucy’s eyes flickered to the floor as she asked her question. 

 

“Magic generally doesn’t fail that way. If it flickers out and sputters, it’s a natural failure. What you had was a full stop that was caused by another person.” Jura’s explanation made sense, and though Lucy hadn’t obsessed over her loss, it still bothered her from time to time. She let out an unrepressed yawn, and mentioned to Jura that she’d go find the books before heading to bed. “Ah, you remember where the books are kept?”

 

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.” Lucy yawned again, made her way to the library and began to search the bookshelves for a few of the books that she believed would be good starting points. She found the first two beginners books with ease, but was having issues finding “Opening Strong Gates”. In the end, she summoned Virgo who found the book nestled between two huge tomes on earth magic. She made a mental note to read those when she had the time.

 

“Here you go.” Lucy said as she carefully placed her favorites in front of Jura, who seemed unfazed by the volumes presented to him. Considering the huge books on Earth Magic that littered the shelves of the library, her three books were probably light reading to Jura.

 

“Thank you, Lucy. Get some rest, I’ll see you in the morning.” She responded in kind, and Lucy turned and padded down the short hallway to her room, Virgo in tow. 

 

❦

 

Lisanna paced around her small apartment; her anxiety was running on high, and she felt like she could jump out of her own skin at any moment. She hadn’t seen Lucy around the guild the whole day, and was starting to get worried. Finally, she decided to head to the guild in hopes of Lucy being there.

 

The trip to the guild was a short and hurried one, and Lisanna arrived slightly breathless. She pushed a large door open and slipped into a hushed guild. It was an odd atmosphere for the normally rowdy guild, but Lisanna made her way to the bar none the less. She was intercepted by a tearful Levy.

 

“Did you know?” This wasn’t helping her anxiety, and Lisanna shook her head.

 

“What happened, Levy? Is everything okay?” Her anxiety was beginning to turn into panic. What if Lucy had died, or what if her apartment had burned to the ground while she slept?

 

“She’s gone, Lis. Her apartment is empty.” Tears streamed down Lisanna’s face, and Levy wrapped her arms around Lisanna. Her world reeled as it began to sink in that Lucy was gone without so much as a goodbye. She felt herself surrounded by two other familiar pairs of arms, and realized that her siblings were by her side.

 

“It’ll be okay, sis. We’re here for you.” Mira whispered in her ear while simultaneously giving her an extra squeeze.

 

“Lisanna is so manly.” She tried to giggle at her brother’s obvious attempt to cheer her up, but it came out as a choked sob and Elfman sulked away. They had drawn quite a crowd at this point, and so Mira directed Lisanna to the bar and sat her down next to Bixlow. She still had tears leaking out of her eyes, and Bixlow patted her roughly on the back.

 

“It’ll be alright, Girlie. Lucy still loves ya.” Lisanna eyed him suspiciously.

 

“How do you know that, Bixlow?” Her words were measured, and she was trying not to dissolve into tears again. She heard Bixlow sigh in resignation.

 

“I ran into her at the train station this morning when she was leaving.” He rummaged around in one of his pockets and pulled out a box and handed it to Lisanna. “She said to give this to you if you weren’t mad at her. Are you mad?”

 

“I’m not mad at Lucy, but you should’ve told me she was leaving!” Lisanna’s voice rose a little, and Bixlow could tell she was mad. He flinched, but listened to her anger. “Bixlow, I thought we were at least friendly to each other, why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“She made me promise, as lame as it sounds. Cosplayer said that she didn’t want to be found, especially by a dragon slayer.” Lisanna glared at Bixlow as she opened the box that he had forced into her hand. Inside lay a silver gate key, and a small note in what was undeniably Lucy’s handwriting. “ _Hey Lis, I know this won’t make up for my disappearance, but it is a Canis Minor Key.”_ Lisanna stared at the note, along with the little heart drawn next to Lucy’s signature.

 

“Sorry, Bix.” Lisanna whispered, but was completely enraptured with the new key. She had started stroking the piece of magic.

 

“Lisanna,” She looked up at her older sister, who was smiling apologetically. “She left to get away from Natsu, and to train. It wasn’t to hurt you.” It was at this point that Natsu and Gray came into the guild arguing, with Erza following behind them looking entirely too worn out. Lisanna stared at her childhood friend, and felt her blood boil. He was the reason Lucy was gone; that her friend had left the guild. She quickly stood up from her stool at the bar, and thrust her key into Mira’s hand saying nothing more than “Keep this safe.”

 

She stalked over to Natsu with a terrifying aura seeping out of her body. Natsu started to greet her, but she slapped him across the face. The whole guild was staring, and Bixlow had uttered an eloquent “holy shit” at her courage.

 

“What was that for?” Natsu was angry, but Lisanna was angrier.

 

“You’re the reason she’s gone. You pushed her to the limit and now Lucy is gone!” Lisanna’s yells could be heard from outside of the guild hall. She shoved Natsu’s shoulders, and continued chewing him out. “She cared about me, she was my friend and now she’s gone because of you. She was there for me when you weren’t, and you’ve driven her away.” Her words were venomous, and Natsu was at a loss.

 

“What do you mean, Lisanna? She’s probably just out on a job or something. Stop overreacting to this.” He tried to smile and calm her temper, but he failed. Little did he know that Lisanna knew the whole story, while he did not.

 

“Her apartment is empty, Natsu and I don’t blame her, either. If someone had burned MY panties in front of the whole guild, I’d be fucking furious too. If someone had cost me money because they burned my house, I’d want to skip town the way she did.” Lisanna was so livid that she was shaking, and in a moment she balled a fist and tried to punch Natsu in the face. Two strong arms grabbed her from under her armpits and pulled her away. She still fought against her restrainer to get back to hurting the person responsible for her pain.

 

Bixlow knew that if Natsu got serious with Lisanna, that she didn’t have a chance. He also knew that if Natsu got serious with Lisanna, that Mira would get serious with Natsu. He continued to struggle with Lisanna to get her to safety, when Erza intervened.

 

“I am very disappointed in you, Natsu. How dare you burn a lady’s panties in front of the whole guild?” Erza whipped around, and gave Lisanna a bone crushing hug. During their hug or rib crunching event, Bixlow had retreated to the bar, where Mira had given him a scary look while simultaneously thanking him for protecting her little sister. He’d let his tongue drape out of his mouth and ordered a beer from the barmaid.

 

Gray stood there stunned that Lucy had left, and his anger at Natsu had grown a serious amount. He watched Erza drag the boy away by the ear and berate him in the corner of the guild, and that gave him some satisfaction. He knew that lashing out as Lisanna had wouldn’t solve anything, and so he took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He didn’t notice that he’d unconsciously cooled the air around him to a noticeable degree. It was only when Juvia had mentioned it to him did he realize he was almost completely naked, too.

 

❦

 

Lisanna retrieved her key from Mira, and marched over to Levy and Gajeel’s quiet table where she began shuffling around for the book on Celestial Magic.

 

“Levy can you tell me-“ Lisanna was interrupted by Levy giggle amidst tears, and Lisanna was once again painfully reminded that Lucy was gone. “What is it?”

 

“You’re so brave!” Levy exclaimed while she wiped a stray tear and rubbed her hand on Gajeel’s coat to rid herself of the moisture. The big man glowered, but otherwise did nothing to deter her.

 

“What?” Lisanna was at a complete loss as to why Levy thought she was brave.

 

“You just stood up to Natsu, Lis. You did it in true Lucy style, too. With attitude and power.” Lisanna merely blinked at this, and continued to rummage through the pile. She finally located the book on the left corner of the table and opened it, while simultaneously stroking her new key. Learning to summon her new spirit would be a task, but Lisanna was determined to honor Lucy’s gift.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello readers! I have a new chapter for you. Thank you to LittlePrincessNana, and the rest of Gals for the feedback and help.

 

I own nothing.

 

❦

 

Lucy emerged from her cocoon of blankets and fell onto the floor of her room in a heap. Her whole body ached, and she was still exhausted, but she forced herself to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal. Jura wasn’t there as Lucy inhaled her food, but she didn’t mind too much, he had spent his entire week training her. She groggily washed her dish and lumbered into the library to continue reading up on growing her magic. It occurred to Lucy that she might change out of her PJs, but noted that the lounge pants and teeshirt were clean, so she decided against it.

 

The couch groaned slightly as Lucy plopped down on the cushy seat and grabbed her gale force reading glasses and the book she had brought from her room. For a moment Lucy’s exhaustion prevented her from realizing that she was not wearing her gale force glasses, but Jura’s simple reading glasses. She sat there completely dumfounded, when Jura walked in and saw Lucy staring at a book with his glasses on.

 

“These are not my gale forces, and why is everything blurry?” Lucy’s question was punctuated with a long yawn as the glasses slid down her nose. Jura chuckled as he handed Lucy her glasses.

 

“Please hand me my book.” Jura asked as he sat down next to Lucy on the plush red couch. He watched her slip the glasses from her face and place them on the book she had in her outstretched hand. “By the way Lucy, “Opening Strong Gates” was an excellent read. Thank you for suggesting it.”

 

Lucy watched Jura slide his own rectangular frames up his ski-jump nose, and begin to read another book on Celestial Magic. She allowed herself a moment to appreciate Jura’s profile; his high cheekbones accented his dark brown eyes, and his lips were surprisingly full. She had begun to recognize how nice his face looked in the morning sun during their shared meditation times. Lucy was quickly distracted by the information in her book, and the thoughts she had moments before slipped from her thoughts.

 

Twenty minutes later, Lucy closed the book she had been reading and groaned. She realized three quarters of the way through her book that a headache was starting to form.

 

“That was a bad idea, and now I have a headache.” Jura looked up from his own reading, his glasses slipping down his nose slightly.

 

“You’re supposed to take the weekends off to rest, that includes your mind. Read something that interests you.” Jura watched as Lucy jumped up and started searching the shelves. A few moments later, she pulled down a huge tome on law. When she turned around, Lucy saw an incredulous look on her mentor’s face.

 

“What? I’m not going to read it with my gale force glasses, that way I won’t get a headache.” Lucy smiled brightly at Jura, who’s shoulders relaxed at her statement. He watched Lucy open the huge law book, and her unconsciously lick her full pink lips. Jura dragged his eyes back to his book, and firmly told himself that he wouldn’t be distracted by something of that nature. Lucy was his student, and he would not let himself be attracted by such a small gesture. He would not view her as a mere sexual object, and though he wouldn’t deny that her lips were beautiful, she was more than that.

 

Lucy flew through the first few chapters about what consisted of a crime, and how sentencing generally worked. It was when she got to the complicated process of what did and did not consist of legitimate evidence that she finally slowed down. The reading was dense, and she had been at it for a good few hours. Lucy finally found a bookmark and set the heavy volume down and went to fix some lunch for her and Jura. As she was chopping vegetables to go into the salad, her Communication Lacrima started ringing, and Lucy hurriedly answered it.

 

“Lisanna! Is everything okay?” Lucy was initially worried, but saw that Lisanna was at her own apartment.

 

“I’m okay, I just needed to call and talk to you.” Lisanna was smiling shyly, and Lucy could see a small blush appearing on her cheeks.

 

“So Lis, tell me whats been going on for you? Did you get my gift?” Lucy watched as Lisanna’s face split into a huge smile.

 

“I did, and you should’ve seen Erza when she got her cakes. She kept on going on and on about how her younger sister hadn’t forgotten about her. Oh, and Levy hasn’t taken her nose out of her new book.” Lucy listened intently as Lisanna started explaining how the guild was doing, and how she and Mira had a few talks. It appeared to Lucy that things in the guild were getting better, especially for Lisanna. “But Lucy, I’m having a hard time summoning the key you gave me. Could you maybe give me some tips?”

 

Lucy hummed a response as she started to think of how to teach Lisanna, and an idea popped into her mind. “How do you summon your take-overs?”

 

“Well, I imagine a line connecting me and the animal soul that I know. Then I pull on the connection to bring it to me.” Lucy listened intently to her explanation, Lisanna’s magic was truly incredible. She picked up the vegetables and put them in the sink to be rinsed.

 

“Is that how you’re trying to summon your spirit?” Lucy asked as she looked over her shoulder at the Lacrima. She saw Lisanna nod quietly, and Lucy understood the issue. She picked the colander full of vegetables up and brought them to the table. “I see what the problem is, you shouldn’t try to pull the spirit to you. Just open a nice wide path for them to cross, and call out to them with the incantation.” Lucy explained as she put the vegetables into the bowl of lettuce and began dressing their lunch.

 

“I didn’t know that, I’m gonna give it another shot.” Lisanna said, and Lucy watched her pull the key from a simple necklace and begin the incantation. Lucy watched intently, as Lisanna went through the motions. She seemed to be doing well, but Lucy could tell that she was focusing too much on the details. She almost summoned her little spirit, there was a flash of gold, but no one appeared.

 

“Try again Lis, don’t focus too much on the details. Just let it come from your heart.” Lucy watched as Lisanna nodded again, and began the incantation. This time she was successful and she summoned a little purple Nikora. “Way to go, now you’ve gotta work out a contract. I should probably get going, too. It’s lunch time for me.” Lucy watched as Lisanna and her new Nikora waved goodbye, and the Lacrima flickered out.

 

“Jura, I have a salad for lunch here if you’re hungry.” Lucy called out towards the library. When she heard a muffled ‘be there in a moment’, she pulled out two plates and two forks. Jura arrived a minute or so later, and the two began eating.

 

“Lisanna called.” Lucy said with a mouthful of lettuce and vegetables. This earned her a disapproving glance from Jura.

 

“How did that conversation go?” Jura seemed honestly curious about her conversation with her friend.

 

“Well, she needed help summoning the silver key I had given her as a parting gift. I also got an update on my other friends, which was really nice. I miss the guild sometimes, especially my girl friends.” Jura realized in this moment that the choice to train with him hadn’t been an easy one for Lucy to make. Now that she was here, he was happy that they were becoming friends. Lucy was one of a kind.

 

Jura did the dishes this time, and Lucy spent a brief moment looking at his broad shoulders before scurrying off to the library to continue reading. She stretched her legs out onto the couch and flipped open her law book again. So far the laws all ruled in her side’s favor, but Lucy knew there had to be a catch. She immersed herself in her book, and didn’t notice when Jura had entered the room.

 

Jura pulled up one of the chairs in a corner of the room and gently sat down on it. He propped up his feet on the couch next to Lucy’s own small, pink toes. The lazy afternoon carried on, and Lucy’s back began to ache. She rectified the pain by stretching her back and toes out completely, and readjusting her position on the couch. Lucy didn’t realize that her adjustment meant meant that her pinky toe was touching Jura’s. The contact wasn’t noticed by either person, and so it went on until dinner.

 

They ended up cooking together, and Lucy witnessed Jura taste test quite a lot of what they were cooking. After a small bout of teasing, they both went back to their tasks in the kitchen. She found that Jura was very much fun to cook with, and she hoped that it would become a habit in the future.

 

A wooden spoon was suddenly shoved into Jura’s face, with the explanation of ‘Here, try this.’ He gently grabbed the spoon, his hand accidentally trapping Lucy’s pinky to the handle, and lifted it to his mouth.

 

“Do you think it needs more salt?” She hoped he thought her tomato sauce was good, but he had never really been specific about his favorite foods. Lucy made a mental note to ask him later on.

 

“You make an excellent tomato sauce, I think it may be better than mine. And now that I think of it, I’m not sure pasta and tomato sauce is a two person job.” Lucy saw a small teasing smile appear on Jura’s face. Her own smile mirrored the mood, but she saw the opportunity to talk to him about cooking together.

 

“You’re teasing me, but I don’t think it matters how simple the meal is. We should cook together more often, it makes cooking faster and way more fun.” Jura’s expression was a contemplative one, and Lucy enjoyed reading his body language. His broad shoulders were relaxed, and a fond smile was beginning to lift at his lips. He grabbed a fork and speared a bowtie pasta on the end of it and gently directed it at Lucy’s lips. She delicately nibbled the pasta off the fork.

 

“I think that is an excellent idea. Cooking is always better with a friend.” Lucy smiled at his answer, and moved to turn off the pasta and sauce. She let Jura pour the sauce over the pasta as she set the table for their dinner. They worked around each other seamlessly in the small kitchen, and soon were eating their meal.

 

“You know, when I was younger, I had an image in my mind of how my life would be when I was older. My life now is not even remotely close to what I had in mind, even a year ago.” Jura raised his eyebrows. Lucy was interesting, and Jura found himself increasingly curious about who she was.

 

“Well Lucy, most of us have done that at one point or another. I did the same thing when I was younger, and my life now is vastly different from any image I ever conjured up.” Jura watched as Lucy set her fork down and leaned into the conversation.

 

“Will you tell me what that image was?” Lucy desperately wanted to know more about Jura, but hadn’t known how to begin. She seemed to have begun the process. Jura chuckled sheepishly, and seemed to have an internal debate about what to say. Finally, he spoke.

 

“Well, when I was younger I had hair on my head. I never dreamed that I’d go bald when I was in my late teens.” Jura almost nervously watched her reaction, and though he had expected her to judge him, a part of his mind told him to not assume so quickly.

 

“You mean you don’t shave it?” Jura was so taken aback that he dropped his fork, but he quickly regained his senses, and burst out laughing.

 

“No, I do not shave my head. Why would you think that?” Lucy was giggling at this point, too. It was her turn to smile sheepishly, and she continued to smile happily.

 

“Well, it just looks so natural on you. I mean, it looks like the best look for you.” Lucy’s face was pink, and she looked quite embarrassed. “I mean to say that I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me.” She quietly picked up her fork and started eating again, in hopes to move past the slightly awkward moment for her.

 

“Well thank you. I told you one of mine, now you have to tell me one of yours.” Lucy’s face got even pinker, and Jura smiled at her response. Sometimes Lucy was one of a kind, but he realized that when she blushed like that, she was just like any other young woman.

 

“Fine, but you promise not to laugh?” When he nodded, Lucy continued on. “Ok, I thought that by now, Natsu would’ve asked me out.” Lucy looked slightly upset and somewhat ashamed of her confession.

 

“I would never laugh at something like that. I can see why you’d think that about Natsu, too. Do you think there’s ever hope in the future?” Jura was sitting up straighter than usual in his seat, and his thick, short eyebrows were knit together.

 

“No, I’m not going to date him, ever. He didn’t respect my boundaries when I made them clear, and so I wouldn’t trust him with a relationship. I’ll probably be his friend again when I’m less mad, but that won’t be for a while.” As Lucy was talking, she was watching Jura. Whether or not he was aware, his body relaxed as she talked. Dinner was well over by now, but the conversation had carried on past the food. Lucy stood up to do the dishes, and Jura grabbed the broom to start cleaning the kitchen floor.

 

The evening wore on, and Lucy had made Jura a mug of his favorite decaffeinated chai tea. He was very thankful, and as Lucy sipped her own decaffeinated chai, she looked over at Jura. She hadn’t though the Wizard Saint would be insecure about his lack of hair. It made her want to giggle at the thought of such a strong man having such a seemingly insignificant issue be his weakness. It was quite endearing, and though it would take a while to develop, Lucy was excited about her friendship with him.

 

Jura started yawning shortly after his tea, and Lucy shoo’d him off to bed. He gave her an amused smile, but humored her and went to his room. Lucy ended up puttering around the kitchen, cleaning up anything that she might’ve left behind during the day. She realized that Jura wouldn’t have let her finish cleaning without helping, so she had sent him off to bed. She soon went to her own room, where her bed waited for her, and her covers wrapped her up in their warm embrace.

 

❦

 

Lisanna bustled around her small apartment making tea, preparing for when Mira arrived. The two had began to mend their relationship, and this was the first time her sister was seeing her apartment. Lisanna found some nice jasmine tea, and put a few bags into the teapot that she had gotten from Levy a few weeks ago. It was then that she heard Mira say “knock knock, anybody home?”

 

“Come in Mira-nee! I’ll have the tea ready in a few minutes.” Lisanna was suddenly nervous, what if Mira didn’t like her apartment?

 

“Thank you Lisanna, I brought you some cookies.” Lisanna gracefully accepted the gift, and set the tin on the small table in her kitchen. Both women sat down at Lisanna’s small table, and the tea was poured.

 

“So Lis, how have things been for you since Lucy left?” Mira observed her little sister tense up for a moment, but then relax as she started to tell Mira of her conversation with Lucy a few days earlier.

 

“Oh and Mira, look!” Lisanna pulled her key from the necklace that she kept it on, and successfully summoned her Nikora. The purple little dog cuddled up into Lisanna’s open arms. “I named her Lucy, after Lu-chan.” At this, the little dog ‘Punned’ the way Plue did.

 

“Oh she is so cute! Oh Lisanna,” Mira trailed off and looked at the floor for a moment. “Natsu said to tell you that he’s very sorry for his behavior towards you.” Mira saw anger return to Lisanna’s features.

 

“I know he’s probably sorry, and that I should apologize too. It isn’t the Fairy Way to stay angry at guild members.” Mira gently stroked her sister’s arm.

 

“Plus, think of the babies you two could have.” Lisanna burst out laughing, even though she knew her sister was completely serious. It would take quite some time before she could truly forgive Natsu, but she wanted to get there. Lisanna wanted her friendship with the destructive boy back.

 

“I suppose I could talk to him when I go to the guild later.” Lisanna really didn’t want to have to deal with the whispers of the guild when she approached the fire headed boy, but knew that she should apologize for slapping him.

 

“Oh you know who’d have gorgeous babies?” Lisanna sighed at her older sister’s baby mania, but listened none-the less. “Laki and Gildarts!”

 

“Mira-nee, Gildarts already has a child, Cana.” Lisanna tried to explain, but Mira waved it off and muttered “nonsense”. They both made eye contact for a brief moment, but quickly dissolved into a fit of giggles. They spent the better part of the hour catching up, but their time quickly came to an end. Mira left with a plan to bring Lisanna to “La Jupe Rose” when she had the time. It was the small cafe that Lucy had invited her out to several times, and it had quickly become their favorite place. Mira was sure that Lisanna would love the quaint cafe.

 

❦

 

Lucy’s eyes jolted open as her alarm went off, and she couldn’t wait for another weekend. She quickly hopped out of bed and made her way to the small kitchen where Jura was waiting.

 

“Sorry for the wait.” Lucy mumbled into her omelette. “Hey Jura, will my body get used to this routine? I’m tired and sore.”

 

“Good morning Lucy. It will take another few weeks, and I am entirely confident that you will make it.” Jura looked up from his book as he spoke, and quickly stifled his laughter. Lucy’s hair was tangled at the top, creating a sort half up bun.

 

“I can hear you laughing, Jura.” Lucy teased while simultaneously brushing her bed head out with her fingers. She forked a bit of omelette and began eating, and looked up at the big man across table. Questions entered Lucy’s mind, and she wondered what his past was. What his childhood was like, and how he found his magic. Did he want a family, or was he dedicated to his life as a mage?

 

“I need to go grocery shopping today, so I’ll be showing you upper body exercises this morning so you can meditate this afternoon.” Lucy snapped out of her reverie and took in the change to her day.

 

“Oh that reminds me; when I meditate, a lot of my past comes up to the surface and it can be hard. Is this normal?” Lucy studied Jura’s reaction to her words. She felt her chest constrict slightly as his deep brown eyes studied her.

 

“It is quite unusual that you’d be experiencing the emotional part of meditation this early, but there is nothing bad about it. Most people don’t examine their pasts until they’ve been meditating for at least 4 months, but the fact that you are just means you’re ready to work through it.” Jura stroked his beard, and Lucy subtly eyed the action. She then cleared the table and went to get dressed. She found Jura waiting outside for her, and followed him as he smiled and turned towards the woods.

 

Lucy followed Jura through the early autumn woods on the twisting path he seemed to know by heart until he came to a stop in a grove of trees with low hanging limbs. Some were low enough for Lucy to be able to grab on with her hands, but not comfortably let her feet touch the ground. Others were too high for Lucy to even reach, with a few branches even reaching bench height.

 

“We will begin with pushups, then you will do pull ups on a tree branch that suits your height. After that sit ups, and finally plank.” Jura listed the methods of upper body and core exercises that Lucy would be doing. “I will demonstrate pushups for you, so that you can see how to place your body.”

 

Lucy nodded, and watched as Jura slipped off his long black over layer and positioned his body on the ground. Lucy watched as the thin fabric of his shirt fell flush against his back, outlining his shoulder and back muscles. She made sure to pay extra attention to how his body looked, both in his posture and at how nice his muscles were. She tried to focus on his posture, but how his shoulder muscles flexed when he’d do a pushup, and how his arms were solid made it impossible to not notice. There was also the fact that no part of him shook from the effort of a pushup. Sometimes her hormones made Lucy unable to not appreciate the male physique in all its glory. She gently reigned in her admiration for his body, and payed closer attention to the lesson he was giving.

 

“Alright, I just want to see you do a few pushups so I can make any corrections.” Jura was collecting his overcoat and dusting it off.

 

Lucy nodded, and found a mossy patch to place hers hands. She began in basic plank position; she made sure her back was straight, her hands shoulder width apart, and that her toes were firmly planted.

 

“I hate this already.” Lucy ground out. Jura nodded along as his eyes swept over her posture. Her arms were shaking from the effort of holding up her weight, but her legs were almost completely steady. It was proof of her efforts over the past weeks, and Jura felt pride bloom in his chest.

 

“It will burn for the first few days, and your posture is spot on. Also, your legs and hips are incredibly strong from all the running you’ve been doing. I am very pleased by this.” Jura then turned to leave, but at the last moment spun on his heel. “Oh and Lucy, when you’re ready for lunch, head due East. Thats where the house is.”

 

Lucy was left to the task of self torture until lunch, but performed each set of her routine with everything she had. She’d do a set of 10 pushups, and hate every moment of it. She’d then take a 10 second breather, and go straight into sit-ups. After that, Lucy would push herself to do pull ups on a nice branch that was the perfect height, and the last was plank. She was on her umpteenth round of plank when Horologium popped out into the clearing.

 

“Princess! It is time for lunch.” Upon hearing those words, Lucy collapsed onto the moss ground and panted. After a few moments she rolled onto her back and looked up at the noonday sky.

 

“Thank you, Horologium. You can go back now.” Lucy watched as he puffed away in a shower of gold glitter, and painfully pushed herself into a sitting position. Quickly flipping through her keychain, she pulled out a silver key. “Open the gate of the Compass; Pyxis!” The little spirit popped out and began chirping excitedly.

 

“Hello Pyxis, could you please show me where due East is?” Lucy smiled as Pyxis bounced around for a moment, before the little guy pointed in a direction. Lucy gently patted the side of his head, and began her trek home, Pyxis in tow.

 

Lucy stumbled into the house after a 20 minute walk from her training grounds, and immediately burst into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and stripped out of her clothes. The hot water felt amazing on her aching torso and arms, and Lucy just wanted to fall asleep under the stream. She forced her eyes opened and quickly shampooed the sticks and dirt from her hair, grimacing as she saw the brown water at the bottom of the shower. She lathered conditioner into her hair, and went to work cleansing her body of the sweat and dirt that had accumulated over the morning.

 

Lunch was a quiet event, and Lucy munched on her plate of bell peppers, turkey meat and hummus. Her wet hair had begun to dry as she finished up her meal and washed her dish. Lucy made her way outside to the usual area where she and Jura meditated, and sat down.

 

It took Lucy a while to get into the meditation. Everything seemed far to quiet, and her thoughts bounced around inside her head. Once she achieved the right mental state, everything in her body began to work in harmony. Her magic began to swirl inside of her and grow in size, and Lucy kept on working the energy within. Her mind began to pick at the things she had experienced as a child, a memory surfaced of a small Lucy chasing after her father. She was calling for him, but he kept on walking down the long hallway of the estate ignoring her. Little Lucy eventually gave up and watched his back grow smaller and smaller. Her mind pulled the memory apart, taking each element of it and looking at what each piece meant and symbolized while her heart mourned for the little girl who had been denied a proper parent.

 

Lucy stayed there for hours, in her own mind with her magic swirling and growing around her. She didn’t notice the cool breeze that had begun to sweep over the land, or the fact that she was getting cold.

 

Jura had arrived back at the house, and was surprised that Lucy wasn’t there. He correctly assumed that she was still meditating, and when he arrived at the peaceful copse, he found Lucy. She was still in a deep meditative state, but she had tears running down her chilled cheeks. He quietly made his over to her and lightly touched her forearm, while simultaneously pulling off his black overcoat. He gently wrapped it around Lucy’s shoulders as she gave a slight shiver.

 

“Lucy,” His voice was a soft rumble that gently began to wake Lucy. “dinner is ready, and you’re very cold.” Her eyes fluttered open as she came back to her conscious self and recalled her meditation and the memory. A few more fat tears leaked from her eyes, and she hastily wiped them away with her hand. She watched as Jura got up from his crouched position and gladly accepted his offered hand.

 

“I made the soup you love so much.” Lucy gave a small smile, and appreciated that Jura’s large, warm hand was still placed at her mid back. There was something so comforting about how the warmth from his hand spread across her back. Then he let his hand fall away and the comfort was gone, and the chill of the evening breeze got under Lucy’s skin. An involuntary shiver ran through her body, and she pulled Jura’s overcoat closer to her skin. He happened to notice this, and made an effort to get home before nightfall.

 

They reached the house just as the sun was sinking below the horizon, and Lucy was glad to be home. She calmly walked to her room and changed into her autumn pajamas. Lucy looked over to her bed where Jura’s clothing was, and gently picked it up. The material was soft and durable, and when Lucy brought it up to her nose, she found that it smelled of pine. She slipped the fabric over her shoulders and left her room. 

 

Jura sighed when he saw that Lucy was still wearing his coat. He admitted silently to himself that it looked great on her, but he’d need it back at some point. Especially because he knew autumn right around the corner, and that the cold would be unrelenting until spring. He sat down at the small island that served as their dinner table, and felt Lucy’s small hands on his shoulders as she placed his coat back on his shoulders.

 

“Thank you for letting me borrow it. I want one for myself now.” Lucy smiled slightly, and Jura returned the gesture.

 

“So Lucy, how was your day?” Lucy thought for a moment, with her head tilted to one side.

 

“Well, it was pretty normal. The workouts were so painful, and meditation was emotionally difficult.” Jura watched her face for which emotions would dance across it. He saw exhaustion, and a bit of boredom; when she spoke about her meditation, Lucy seemed reserved.

 

“Will you tell me why your meditation was difficult?” Lucy frowned, but nodded. She launched into her childhood story, and how her mother had died when she was 5.

 

“So you see, because I am the spitting image of my mother, after her death my father became cold. He ignored me for most of my life, and I ran away when I was 15 to join Fairy Tail. Anyway, this time during my meditation, I relived a particularly difficult memory where my father completely ignored me.” Lucy finished off her story, and watched for Jura’s reaction. He seemed bothered by something in her story, and Lucy was right. He was very bothered by the fact that her own father could act so cold to her, and that he couldn’t appreciate the gem that she was. The piercing gaze from this morning had returned, and Lucy was caught between the beauty of his eyes, and the slight discomfort from the intensity of the stare.

 

“Lucy, I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help you right now?” His eyes had grown softer after he asked her the question, and Lucy could only think of one thing.

 

“Can I touch your beard?” She was hopeful, but somewhat cynical. She expected him to say no right off the bat, but to her surprise, he nodded cautiously.

 

“Only for a moment, and please don’t tangle it.” He was initially tentative, but was rewarded when Lucy leaned across the table and gently ran her fingers through his beard. The sparkle in her eyes that had simmered out during her story had returned, and she seemed to perk up.

 

“Have you ever considered braiding it?” Lucy was sure he’d say no, but she couldn’t resist asking the question. She was so very curious as to how he’d look with a braided beard.

 

“No, and no you may not.” Jura looked a little more cautious than before, but this caused Lucy to giggle and blush. One day she hoped he would let her, but for now all she wanted to do was feel his beard once again. 


	5. 5

Behold, the monster chapter! I’ve been in an intense, month long course at school. This means that I’ve had less time to write, but it’s ending next Thursday! Please review, follow and favorite. It really does make a difference to us authors.

 

I own nothing.

 

Chapter 5

 

The rain poured relentlessly from the September sky, and Lucy was suffering from severe cabin fever. Her newly developed physical strength made her want to work out more and become stronger. Jura had assured her that the rain would stop in a week or so, and the weather change couldn’t come soon enough. She looked out the rain speckled window and felt truly homesick for the first time. Magnolia autumns were gorgeous, with crisp, fresh air. Lucy distinctly recalled the shopping spree with Lisanna and Levy, and decided she should give them a call.

 

She quickly located her communications lacrima and channeled a small amount of magic into the orb. Lisanna’s face appeared in the ball and she let out an excited squeal of girlish joy. Levy’s footsteps were heard, and her face quickly squished in next to Lisanna’s.

 

“Hey girls! How is everything? Are you at the guild?” Lucy missed her friends, and though it wasn’t the same as being at the guild, calling them already made her feel better about her absence.

 

“Lucy! Things are going well, I’m dating Gajeel now!” Levy shifted the the lacrima to show the notoriously grumpy man eating a plate of iron. When he saw Lucy’s face on the lacrima he gave a small grunt of acknowledgement and went back to eating. Lisanna shifted the lacrima back to her and Levy’s faces, and scratched the back of her head nervously.

 

“And I’ve started to mend my friendship with Natsu. Did you hear how I reacted to your departure?” Lucy shook her head, she was curious and slightly afraid of her story. “Well, I kinda slapped him and yelled. Bixlow had to pull me back from him.” Lucy’s eyes were very wide, but she had expected something like that from Lisanna.

 

“Nicely done!” Lucy couldn’t contain the gleeful grin on her face. “Congratulations Levy I’m happy for you and Gajeel, and anything on the boy front for you, Lis?” She blushed and Levy giggled like a school girl, she then whispered something into Lisanna’s ear.

 

“Can I call you in a bit? Levy and I are having a girls night filled with drinking and cookies. We need to go out and buy the alcohol first, but when we get home we’ll call again. We can gossip about boys then, deal?” Lisanna seemed very excited by the prospect of revealing her crush to Lucy, and she exchanged an excited look with Levy.

 

“Sounds like a deal. Now fill me in on everything going on at the guild. I miss everyone terribly.” Both girls stalled a bit while they compiled a list of noteworthy events that had happened in the months that Lucy had been gone.

 

“Well, Mira-nee took me to La Jupe Rose a few times. I love it so much, especially their framboise dessert.” Lisanna rambled a little, but she seemed so thrilled by Mira taking her out for lunch. “Oh Levy, you have to tell her what happened with Droy.”

 

Lucy watched as Levy’s face soured, and she shook her head furiously. She wondered what might cause the usually sunny young woman to become so angry.

 

“I’ll tell you the story when we’ve got our alcohol. We’ll go ahead and grab those now though, so we’ll call in about 30 minutes?” Levy said, still somewhat darkly. Lucy nodded, and the screen blinked out. Lucy gently placed the orb next to her book, and heard the door open and close.

 

She got up from her seat on the couch, and made her way to the kitchen, only to run into a sopping wet Jura. He looked especially grumpy, and said nothing to Lucy. She took one look at his soaked clothes, wet beard, and unhappy expression, and decided that she’d help him dry off. She turned around and went to her bedroom to grab some of her clean and fluffy light blue towels, and emerged a few seconds later. Jura still stood there, dripping on the floor, and Lucy unfolded one of her towels and draped on his head. Next she brought one hand up and felt his forehead.

 

“You’re warm, go and change into dry clothes. I will make you tea.” Lucy said, as she handed him the other two dry towels. She received a ‘right, okay.’ from him as he passed her into his room. She quickly started the water for tea, and searched the cabinets for his favorite tea. She discovered that they were completely out of it, and groaned. She then opened the spice drawer and pulled out cinnamon, cardamom, and powdered ginger. The water boiled, and she mixed the spices in with the hot water, and added a splash of heavy cream.

 

Jura came into the kitchen 5 minutes later, and his presence was announced by a loud sneeze. Lucy looked up from the book she was reading at the kitchen table, and noted that Jura had saved one of the dry towels, and had it hanging on his head.

 

“I hate being sick.” He stated, while seating himself in front of the home made chai. “This smells delicious, where did you get it?” A small smile was beginning to form on his face as he took another big sip of her tea.

 

“I made it. I saw we were out of your tea, so I just figured it out. How are you feeling?” Lucy was happy that she’d done the tea right, and took a small sip of her traditional Japanese green.

 

“Thank you for the tea, and thank you for the towels.” Jura said, and then sneezed again. Lucy handed him a box of tissues, which he gratefully accepted. Lucy checked her watch and decided to make an early dinner, and then insist that Jura go to bed. She wondered how much of an uphill battle that would be, and internally rolled her eyes. She sighed and began chopping up bits of vegetables for the big soup she’d make. Jura tried to get up to help, but Lucy pointed a wooden spoon at him.

 

“You will stay there and read. Then after dinner, you will head straight to bed and get some rest.” Lucy looked so fierce with the wooden spoon, that Jura slowly raised his hands in surrender. She was amazing, wild, graceful and funny all in one. Jura felt the cold take hold of his body, and reached for another tissue. Being sick was always hell for him, but Lucy seemed to make that hell just a little bit better.

 

“Okay.” Was his reply. Lucy stood there, still pointing the spoon at him. She waited a few more seconds before wheeling around back to her soup, and stirring the contents.

 

“I thought you’d put up for of a fight, and resist early bed time.” Lucy said, as she started chopping up bits of chicken breast, and adding them to the bubbling soup. She turned around to look for the top to the big pot.

 

“No, I feel terrible, and your tone did not leave room for argument.” Jura gave a wry smile, and Lucy laughed happily.

 

“Well good. The soup will be done in 20 minutes. Keep drinking your tea.” Lucy had never seen Jura sick before, and part of it was unsettling. She wanted him to be well, so she started fussing around him, making sure he was sufficiently dry and warm. He let Lucy finish her self-imposed task with amusement dancing across his face. She lifted the towel from his head and folded it over her arms and bring it to the laundry basket in the bathroom.

 

“You know, Jura, I’m thinking of keeping a pile of towels by the front door for all this rain.” Lucy called from the bathroom, as her communication lacrima began to ring in the library. Lucy swore mildly and went to answer it. It was Levy and Lisanna again, and Lucy had to explain that they call would have to wait until after dinner. The two women on the other end were disappointed, but understood. Lucy returned to the kitchen to find Jura reading her book.

 

“Please don’t lose my spot.” Lucy said, as she checked up on the soup. The chicken was almost fully cooked, and when it was the soup would be finished.

 

“I like this story so far, but it isn’t relevant to training or your magic.” Jura’s eyebrows scrunched together as he turned a page. He reached for a tissue only for Lucy to snatch it away.

 

“It’s a very good story, and it is very relevant. The hero is a woman, and there’s no prince at the end of the story for her. She goes on to rule her kingdom, and adopt an orphan who takes over the throne after she dies. It’s a story about a woman’s life.” Lucy set down the tissues in front of Jura, and turned to her soup that was done. She was debating on pointing the spoon at him again. Jura just stared at her back, putting the pieces together himself.

 

Lucy’s book had all sorts of unusual elements to it, that much was obvious to Jura. What confused him for a moment was why it mattered so much to Lucy, but then it made sense. The hero was a woman with an unusual life, and that spoke to Lucy. She wanted to be a hero with a life worthy of an adventure book, but she also wanted to her own life to break the mould the way this book did.

 

“I’m sorry Lucy, you are very right. This book is highly relevant, especially to your training. Will you tell me what you like most about the main character?” Jura knew it was important for him to be understanding of her interests, as she had been of his. Lucy didn’t know it, but he had seen her pouring over his Earth Magic books at night when she couldn’t sleep. He had found himself quite flattered when he made the secret discovery.

 

“She’s unusual, and really strong. She’s not afraid to show her emotions, and no one laughs at her for it.” Lucy said, as she began to grab the bowls from the cupboard along with the spoons. “Plus, there are so few incredibly strong women in the stories I’ve read. They all exist solely for the male hero, and I don’t want that in my own life.” Lucy continued talking as she searched for the ladle, and Jura sneezed.

 

Two bowls of steaming soup were placed on the table, and Jura gave an audibly stuffy ‘Thank you,’ to Lucy, who smiled sympathetically. Jura eyed her for a moment, but she didn’t notice. She was far more unusual than he had originally suspected. She wanted to be strong, and that was obvious, but he surprised by how original her thinking pattern was. Lucy was emotionally logical, she could spot out why the character was so strong and what was admirable about her.

 

“Oh Jura, I’d like to tell my friends that you’re training me. I abstained from telling anyone because I didn’t want to assume that you’d be okay with it. I’d tell Erza, Levy and Lisanna, and swear them to secrecy.” Lucy wanted to tell her friends how things were going with training, and not feel like she was withholding information from them. However, she felt that because it was Fairy Tail, Jura should be able to have a say in it.

 

“I don’t see why not Lucy, Makarov already knows. If he knows, I am assuming that Laxus-dono also knows.” Jura’s response was logical, and of course the one Lucy expected from him. It still made her relieved though, and she could tell her friends what’s been going on in her life.

 

“Thank you, Jura. Finish your soup so you can go to bed early.” He gave Lucy a soft smile, which was quickly interrupted by a few back to back sneezes.

 

“You know Lucy, this soup is excellent.” Jura thought for a moment before continuing. “I’d like to know what your favorite foods are.” Lucy smiled at this, and thought for a moment before answering.

 

“Well, nothing beats that soup of yours with all the vegetables and the spices.” Jura accidentally interrupted her by sneezing. “I like a lot of vegetables, and grilled chicken breast might be my favorite. I’m not particularly picky, but one thing I know I don’t like is shrimp.”

 

Lucy noticed that Jura’s bowl was emptied, but that he hadn’t gotten up to go to bed. She wasn’t full, and wanted a second helping, so she scooped up Jura’s bowl in the process and refilled it, too. He thanked her profusely.

 

“That recipe is my mother’s. She’s the one who taught me how to cook. She told me that if I wanted to someday be a good husband, that I’d need to know how to cook. My father always thought it was hilarious.” Jura had a happy look forming on his face, though he looked tired and like he was ready for bed.

 

“Are your parents still alive?” Lucy couldn’t help but feel slightly envious of the charming childhood picture that Jura had painted. She still wished her parents had done better by her, especially her father.

 

“No, my dad died just before we battled Oración Seis. My mom is still alive though, she’s a tough woman. How about yours, Lucy?” Jura was curious about her past, and who her parents were.

 

“I’m sorry to hear about your dad. Both of my parents are dead, my mom died when I was very young, and my father died a month before we were freed from Tenroujima.” Lucy stated. She maintained her facade of calm, but there was sadness taking it’s place in her heart.

 

Jura watched her as she stated her sad and terrible past as if it were a simple fact. He watched her face still, and her attempt to mask her emotions. He opened his mouth to speak, and sighed for a moment. “Lucy, I am terribly sorry for your loss.”

 

Lucy looked across the table at her friend, and saw sincerity in his eyes. She had been told ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ many times before, and it had eventually lost it’s meaning. Jura had brought the meaning back, he could empathize with her pain on some level. She was grateful that she had someone like Jura in her life, he was so real and understanding.

 

“Thank you, Jura. You know, I’m the spitting image of my mother. I inherited her magic, and her keys. I have her compassion and laugh, and her kindness. However, I am more like my father than I’d like to admit. I’m ambitious, and I have a insatiable thirst for knowledge.” Lucy’s words tumbled out of her mouth like a confession, her voice growing more agitated as she spoke of her father’s impact on her personality. Jura listened intently, judging nothing.

 

“You know Lucy, ambition isn’t such a bad thing, as long as you don’t let it rule your life. Inspiration and ambition is what got me to be where I am now.” Jura thought he was explaining something pretty simple. The concept of everything in moderation, but Lucy looked like she had just been told that cows could fly.It was a mixture of final realization and disbelief.

 

“Thank you, Jura,” An appreciative smile adorned her face. “Now, it is time for you to go to bed.” Lucy laughed under her breath a little, and ushered Jura out of the kitchen. He turned around for a moment, as if he had forgotten something in the kitchen. “I will get the wooden spoon if I must.” Lucy threatened from behind him, and Jura laughed. His laugh, unfortunately, turned into a hacking cough.

 

“Okay, okay, I’m going to bed now.” He joyfully submitted to Lucy’s demand, and he knew that he needed rest.

 

Lucy watched his large back retreat down the short hall way before turning to the kitchen. She started with cleaning up any scraps of food that may be left over, then she poured the leftover soup into a container. Midway through washing the dishes, she came to a confusing realization. Though Lucy had a small crush on Natsu before he got all weird on her, that was gone. That didn’t confuse her too much, but her friendship with Jura did. He didn’t treat her like a student, he didn’t lord his magic power difference over her. He treated her like an equal, and with a great deal of respect. Lucy didn’t know how to feel about that.

 

It took a while before Lucy realized that she was just standing in front of the empty sink. She quickly dried off her hands and hurried into her room. She located her communication lacrima and not a moment later, Lisanna’s face appeared in the orb.

 

“LUCY!” She giggled and quieted down when Lucy put a finger to her lips. “How was dinner? Levy and I have rum!”

 

“It was delicious, Jura is sick though.” Lucy said, although she worked hard to keep the volume down on the conversation. Levy dropped her glass and Lisanna gaped at her.

 

“You mean Jura as in the Wizard Saint Jura?” Levy looked terrified and excited, while Lisanna looked eager for more information.

 

“Yeah, that Jura. Oh, but you can’t tell anyone. Master knows, and I’m assuming that Laxus does too.” Lucy explained, but to her, life was boring. She wanted to know more about the guild. “So Lisanna, tell me about this new crush of yours!”

 

Lisanna went pink, and she took a sip of rum for courage. Lucy heard Levy say “Don’t worry Lis, she won’t judge you.” Lisanna nodded then spoke up. “It’s… it’s Bickslow.” And Lucy grinned, she knew it.

 

“Oh Lis, I’m so excited for you two. You’ll be dating in no time, I’m sure of it.” Lucy said, and Lisanna turned a deeper shade of pink.

 

“Gajeel has a pierced dick.” Levy said, refilling her glass with pure rum, and gulping it down. Lucy and Lisanna burst out laughing, and Lisanna drunkenly hugged Levy.

 

“Really, Levy? Do tell.” Lucy giggled, as she relocated onto her bed. She watched Levy’s face form into a devious smirk.

 

“Oh yes, very pierced indeed all along the side, so that I feel it all!” Lucy heard this statement, and Jura’s bedroom door opening simultaneously. She hoped he hadn’t heard Levy’s drunken confession, but his footsteps stopped outside her bedroom door. Lisanna and Levy were giggling profusely, and not paying attention to Lucy’s wide eyes. A knock came, and she called out to him.

 

Jura opened Lucy’s door, completely perplexed about what he had just heard. Was Lucy drunk, or was she maybe talking to her boyfriend? It didn’t sit too well with him though, and he decided to check in on her. He knocked, and opened her door when she said “come in” to him.

 

“Just what…” Jura couldn’t express his confusion properly, and he felt more sick that he had at dinner. He looked at Lucy who had just rolled her eyes at him, and at first he was growing frustrated with the possibility that it could be her boyfriend.

 

“Levy and Lisanna are drunk, and when they drink, they will say anything.” Lucy giggled, as Lisanna started mumbling about broad shouldered sexiness as she lay on her back on Levy’s bedroom floor.

 

“So that wasn’t you making the comment about the piercings?” Jura looked very serious, and Lucy wondered if he was mad at her.

 

“No, that was Levy. She and Gajeel are dating.” Lucy was completely surprised by his seemingly sudden mood shift from dinner only 10 minutes earlier. “Are you okay?”Lucy asked, slightly worried. She didn’t even notice her two drunk friends had started watching her interaction with Jura.

 

“Yes, I am fine Lucy. Apart from being sick and grumpy.” Jura sniffed, and Lucy turned to her communication lacrima to find two you women staring at her with wide smiles on their faces.

 

“Guys? I’m going to be right back.” Lucy said as she placed the lacrima on her bedside table. Lucy got up off her bed, and quickly crossed the short space between her and Jura.

 

“I’ll make you another tea, and a hot water bottle. It’s always helped me when I’ve been sick.” Lucy said, placing a hand on one of Jura’s massive biceps. He watched her make her way to the kitchen and start some tea. Something was stirring inside of him, and Jura was sorting through his own emotions, looking for an answer.

 

Lucy obliviously rummaged around the kitchen drawers and measuring spices. The kettle whistled, signaling that the water was boiling, and Lucy quickly poured it into the mug she had prepared. She set the pot of hot water back down and set the cup of steaming tea down on and making her way to their small bathroom. She passed Jura who was still standing in her bedroom doorway.

 

“The tea is ready for you.” Lucy poked at his cheek gently, and hurried into the bathroom to find her hot water bottle. She giggled to herself about Jura’s face when she had prodded him.

 

Lucy was back in the kitchen, and was filling the water bottle with the slightly cooled water from the kettle. She gently placed the warm bubble filled with hot water next to Jura.

 

“Jura, take your tea and go back to bed.” Lucy looked into Jura’s deep brown eyes, and spotted an unidentifiable emotion in the back of them for a moment. She chose to lay a hand on his shoulder and give a warm squeeze.

 

Jura watched Lucy go back to her room, and tried to identify his own emotions. He didn’t have many weaknesses, and Jura considered himself to be a well rounded man. However, if something was bothering him, he knew that he could become somewhat unpleasant to be around. He’d have to figure himself out again over the next few days, before he got cranky. The moment Jura heard light giggling from Lucy’s room, he gently got up and went to his room, tea in hand, hot water bottle under his arm.

 

Lucy smiled happily as Lisanna mumbled something about Bickslow’s tongue, and Levy continued to drink as much as she could handle. It always amazed her how much Levy could drink. There was a twang of envy in Lucy’s heart, and though she was happy with her choice, there was a part of her that wanted to have a drink at night along with her girl friends.

 

Time danced along, as Lucy was filled in on the most recent gossip with Droy. It turns out he had not been as innocent as everyone had thought, and Cana had been the one to unfortunately find this out. Droy had captured her in a dark corner of the guild and had begun to fondle her breasts. She had been very lucky, because that back hallway had been the one that Gildarts had accidentally crashed though. Gildarts had been furious, and ended up throwing Droy across the guild. He had wrapped Cana up in cloak and brought her back to his small home.

 

Lucy stared at her two best friends, her mouth wide open, as Levy told the story.

 

“Holy shit Levy, you’re serious?” Lucy almost stuttered as she spoke. The story seemed too illogical to be real.

 

“I saw him go flying when Gildarts chucked him.” A drunken ‘Me too!’ could be heard from Lisanna, but Levy was suddenly serious. “I was at first mad at Gildarts, but when I saw him carrying Cana through the guild, I knew something else was very wrong. It wasn’t until the next day that they both went to Master Makarov’s office that I found out what happened.” Levy was now very somber, and looked quiet upset.

 

“Wow, where is he now?” Lucy didn’t want someone like that hurting her guild sisters, and decided she would call Master Makarov in the morning.

 

“We don’t know, Master kicked him out of the guild for good when he found out. I hope he isn’t trying to cause the guild too much trouble.” Levy explained, although there was a silent fury behind her tone.

 

“I hope so, too. Wow Levy, I’m so sorry. I know you two were friends, this must be really hard on you.” Lucy said, and she noticed that Lisanna had passed out on her back. “Levy, can you turn Lis onto her side just in case? If she throws up in her sleep, I don’t want her to suffocate on her own… you know.”

 

Levy quickly completed a task and brought her own communication lacrima to her desk and sat down behind her chair. “It’s been hard, there was always a part of me that didn’t trust Droy completely, but I never thought it’d be this bad. Jet is a sweetheart, and though I won’t date him, he’s an honest person.” Lucy rubbed her temples as Levy spoke, and knew that the guild was broken right now. Cana was one of their own, and to be betrayed so badly must be painful for her.

 

Levy let out a slightly tearful yawn, and smiled at her best friend. It was good to see Lucy again, and Levy wanted to stay up talking to her all night, but the alcohol was making her very sleepy. She wanted to ask her about Jura, and what he was like. Levy wanted to know if they were an item, but she knew that Lucy would roll her eyes and say “As if!”. All in all, Levy knew that the guild would never be complete without her Celestial Mage.

 

“Go to sleep, Levy.” Lucy said fondly.She knew that Levy had spaced off during the silence that had followed her yawn. She adored her blue haired friend, and she couldn’t wait to see her again in person. The lacrima screen was not enough.

 

Levy yawned again, and made waving motions before the screen went blank. Lucy stared at it for a good minute before placing the lacrima down on her bedside table. She flung herself at her bed, and lay on her side on top of the covers. Her eyes wandered around her room, she looked up and down her bookcase, at her clothes and her emergency bag. She looked at the ceiling and the floor and all the still empty walls. Lucy was so grateful to Jura for letting her stay with him, and for training her. She decided to tell him when she woke up.

 

❦

 

Lucy woke up to a loud and obnoxious beeping noise, and wondered what it was. She no longer needed an alarm clock, and she hadn’t heard anything quite as obnoxious in a long while. She cracked her eyes open and then panicked. Her communication lacrima was going off. In the center of her orb was a green Fairy Tail insignia. Lucy grabbed the ball and answered it.

 

“Hello?” Was the intelligent word out of her mouth.

 

“Lucy? Is that you? Please help us, Freed and I were finishing a job on Mt Hakobe. We had just gotten to the base of the mountain when a landslide happened.” Lucy was up and about at this point, listening and nodding to Evergreen’s story. “We managed to dodge most of it, but Freed got hit. I think he broke his back.” Lucy was dressed and had grabbed her back and was out in the kitchen by now.

 

“Ok, I’m on my way. I’m just writing a note to my housemate.” Lucy scribbled as fast as she could on a piece of paper.

 

_“Jura, I’m so sorry to have to go. I got a call from Evergreen, she and Freed are in a bad situation. I’ll be back as soon as I can, there’s extra soup in the fridge that you can reheat. I hope you slept well, xoxox, Lucy.”_

 

Lucy scrambled out the door and rushed outside where she began to jog her way to their location. Evergreen was still crying on the other end, and Lucy listened and comforted her. She was hiccuping now, and the tears kept streaming down her face.

 

“It’s going to be ok, Ever. I’m on my way. When did this happen?” Lucy soothed her, and spoke calmly to her.

 

“It happened 10 minutes ago. One of my wings was hit, so I fell a few feet, too. It took me a few minutes to regain my breath.” She explained, and Lucy began to compile a list of things she might be dealing with. Trauma, fear, adrenaline subdued pain. Soon she’d be dehydrated and hungry.

 

“Ok, you’re doing well, Ever. You and Freed both activated your wings, then?. I need to get there faster than walking, so I’m going to end the call. If you need me again, call me. Ok?” Lucy explained, slowly and calm. Ever nodded, and Lucy hung up the Lacrima. She started running quickly, dodging trees that stepping into her way. She weaved in and out of the thick trunks of the forest, and called her trusty spirit.

 

“Pyxis!” She called out, and the little spirit appeared. Without having to be told, his compass spun around, and he pointed in the direction of Mt Hakobe. Lucy smiled, and gave her spirit a light pat. She took of running in the pointed direction, and paced herself. She needed to have energy to spare when she arrived at the scene. She was very afraid for her guild mates, and Lucy knew that losing one of them would be devastating, especially such a treasured member like Freed.

 

Lucy kept running and running, until her lungs burned and her legs felt like they’d fall apart beneath her. She kept pushing herself, until she felt tired, then Lucy walked. It took her a moment to to locate her personal water bottle in her light pack filled with protein snacks, water bottles, bandages, and plenty of antiseptic. Lucy took a few grateful gulps of her water, and continued on at a steady jog.

 

It took Lucy four more hours at a constant jog to get to them. When she arrived, Evergreen threw herself at Lucy, crying and shaking. At this point, Lucy knew she was traumatized by the experience, and that she and Freed would need a bit of time off of mission taking.

 

“Thank you, Lucy. He’s here, I’ve done what I could to make him comfortable.” Lucy followed as Ever to where Freed lay, with tears running over the dried tracks of their predecessors. She knelt down to Freed and took his hand as softly as she could.

 

“Hey Freed, we’re going to get out of here. The train station isn’t far from here, I’ll have Virgo patch you up. Ok?” Lucy saw his jaw clench tightly, and he nodded a nano-millimeter. 

 

“Virgo!” Lucy called out urgently. Her friend popped out of the spirit world with her usual gold glitter. Her expression was grim and she immediately got to work and started asking Freed all sorts of questions. While she did that, Lucy pulled out her antiseptic and bandages and started tending to Ever’s lesser wounds. She also pulled one of the bigger water bottles out of her bag, a bag of almonds, a block of cheddar that she split in half, and a cashew butter and jelly sandwich. Evergreen immediately started eating and drinking, thanking her in-between bites.

 

“Stay there and eat slowly, I’m going to help Virgo.” Lucy told Ever, who was too busy eating and drinking to properly respond. Lucy turned and placed a hand on Virgo’s shoulder.

 

“Hime, it seems he has a fractured vertebrae from his description of pain. You will need to use Horologium and Leo to help my carry him. We will place him on Horologium’s back.” Virgo monotoned to Lucy, who nodded and smiled at Freed, hoping to comfort him through his pain.

 

“Good, Thank you Virgo. I will do that now.” And she did by grasping the two keys delicately between her two fingers. “Loke, Horologium!” Two poofs later, both spirits had arrived. Loke took one look at Freed and nodded at him apologetically. He knew a pained expression when he saw one.

 

“Horologium, you’ll need to be the stretcher for Freed. Loke, you and Virgo are going to help carry Horologium and Freed.” Loke nodded in understanding, and Lucy was grateful that he set aside his usual shenanigans.

 

“Whenever you’re ready, Hime.” Virgo said, and Lucy nodded. She figured it’d be a painful experience for Freed, so she told her faithful clock spirit to lay down on his back. Next, she, Virgo and Loke quickly and carefully lifted Freed up and onto Horologium. Freed’s eyes were clamped shut, but tears still leaked out of them.

 

“Ok Freed, the worst part is over. Now, are you hungry?” With his repeated small nod, Lucy rummaged in her supply bag, and pulled out a bag of carrots and a little cup of hummus. She handed them to Ever, and she quickly got the gist of it as she fed Freed some much deserved food.

 

Lucy reached into her bag again and pulled out her communication lacrima, and tried to call Master. Except he wasn’t answering, and Lucy had a very good idea as to why. An annoyed expression adorned her face, as she tried to reach Laxus. Luckily, a grumpy and disheveled Laxus appeared on her screen.

 

“What the fuck, blondie? Do you realize that I had just fallen asleep 20 minutes ago?” He snapped at her before he saw an alive Evergreen walking behind her.

 

“How charming of you, Laxus. Your sleep can wait though, you need to wake Wendy when we arrive at the guild. Virgo thinks that Freed has a fracture vertebrae.” Lucy snapped at first, then began her methodical explanation of the situation. When she mentioned Wendy, Laxus got out of bed and started to get dressed. When she mentioned Freed, he gave her a nice, long hard stare.

 

“Right, I’ll wake her soon and fill her in. Is Ever okay? She looks a bit shaky.” Laxus’ brow furrowed, he felt immensely for his teammates. Something pretty traumatizing must’ve happened for Evergreen to be shaking and looking teary.

 

“She’ll be ok. We’re going to the train, when we get there I’m going to talk to the conductor about what we can do about speed. Otherwise it’ll be a long ride, and Freed needs medical attention.” Lucy calmly explained, she didn’t have time for her own emotions right now.

 

“I’m going to hang up, I’ll call the station at Kunngi and have a private train arranged for you. Bye Lucy, thank you for this.” And then he blinked out of sight.

 

Another 45 minutes of trekking through brambles and brush, they finally reached the grassier and flatter landscape. Lucy felt their walk was over, and was incredibly exhausted from her run to Freed and Evergreen. After another 10 minutes or so, the station finally came into view, and a collective sigh from the group could be heard.

 

“Ms. Heartfilia! Ms. Heartfilia!” A voice cried out from the station, and a short man came running towards them in a top had with a shadow of a beard appearing on his face. “We have the medical train waiting for you and your injured companions.”

 

“Thank you, sir. It’s been a long evening, and our most injured deserve to be home and healing. Let’s get this over with.” Lucy said, somewhat impatiently. The man smiled and nodded, and the odd group followed him. They clambered on disjointedly, but they all made it relatively safely. Lucy noted that this wasn’t just any train, it was one fitted with white beds and a few medical staff helped move Freed from her spirit to a stretcher. During all of this, Lucy appreciated just how strong the rune mage was.

 

Pretty soon after, Ever was napping on a bed, her spirits had poofed away, and they were underway.

 

“Lyra.” Lucy whispered out her dear spirit’s name, while gently thumbing the key. The normally exuberant young woman came out without a fuss.

 

“Can you play a song for distracting someone? It is sorely needed.” Lucy winked at Lyra, and not long after, the soothing harp music filled the medical carriage. Without knowing it, Lucy drifted off in one of benches the lined a side of the compartment.

 

❦

 

 

Next thing Lucy knew, she was being roughly shaken by a pair of large hands. She was so tired, she didn’t want to get up or move.

 

“Oi, Blondie. Time to get out of the train.” A gruff voice sounded in front of her, and she groggily opened her eyes. Laxus and his fur lined coat came into focus, and his tired face. She could hear Wendy’s little authoritative voice in the background giving instructions on how to properly carry Freed’s stretcher so as to not cause unnecessary pain.

 

“Ugh, what time is it?” Lucy’s throat was dry, she was hungry, sore and incredibly cranky. All she wanted to do was go home and confide in Jura about how hard this had been for her. The crisis was pretty much over, and now all her own feelings of the evening were bubbling to the surface.

 

“5:30 am. Mira’s been woken, so has Lisanna, Bixlow and Wendy. Gramps’ll be up in a few minutes.” Laxus looked at her and then offered his hand to her. Lucy took it hesitantly and hoisted herself to her feet. “C’mon, lets get some coffee and breakfast.”

 

Lucy grumbled but followed him into the guild. It was mercifully empty, so there would be no annoying fanfare about her brief return. She slowly and painfully positioned herself on a barstool, and rested her head on the counter. She felt a smaller more feminine hand rub her back for a moment.

 

“Lucy, Mira-nee is with Freed right now. But I could make you some coffee if you like.” It was Lisanna, and Lucy nodded and gave her a slight smile before wrapping her arms around her in a hug. She was glad Lisanna was awake, she felt very comforted in the arms of her friend.

 

“No need, Lisanna. I got the coffee.” Laxus said from behind the bar. He set three steaming mugs down on the table and Lisanna took one, and headed up to the infirmary. It was silent for a good few minutes between her and Laxus, but he finally spoke.

 

“Thank you for saving Freed. He’s one of my oldest friends.” Laxus said clearly but very quietly. He looked directly at Lucy with an unusually sincere and serious expression.

 

“You’re welcome. It’s a job I do out of love for the guild.” Lucy quietly returned, taking a long sip of her warm coffee. It filled her with warmth and it helped her wake up again.

 

“Why are you damp, Blondie?” Laxus was back to his usual cocky self, and was chuckling at her state.

 

“Because I had to run in the rain to get to Freed and Ever.” Lucy gave Laxus a scathing look, and he started to laugh in ernest. Lucy couldn’t help but giggle herself. She hadn’t really payed attention to her clothes while she was helping her guild mates out, but now that Laxus had pointed it out, she wanted out of them.

 

Their moment of laughter was cut short when Mira slowly came down from the infirmary. She looked exhausted, worried and grateful all in one. Her steps were deliberate and her usual cheery smile was not on her face. Her empty coffee gripped in her right hand as if it were the only solid thing in the world. Lucy quickly crossed the short distance to Mira and wrapped her in a warm hug.

 

“Wendy says that’ll it’ll take a while for him to heal. She’s resting right now, she used up too much of her magic to continue healing him.” Mira said quietly and numbly. “Lucy, you’re clothes are wet. Let me get you some-“ Lucy cut her off.

 

“Mira, take care of yourself. I can find something dry to wear, don’t worry about me. Why don’t you go upstairs and look after Freed.” Lucy suggested warmly. She felt for Mira, and knew that she wanted to care for others as a way to not think about her own pain. Mirajane slowly nodded and turned around and climbed the stairs again.

 

Laxus narrowed his eyes at Lucy, something was a bit off about her. Not her personality, but her smell. He sifted through the different smells of the guild, naming each one before he got to Lucy’s normal scent. There was her normal strawberry smell, the sweet odor of her soaps, and of the forest that she ran through. He smelled Ever and Freed on her, but there was something else on her person that he knew. It was deep and earthy, most certainly a man’s scent. There was a calm power to the scent, something hidden in the way the odor lingered on Lucy’s body.

 

“So, you’ve been training with Jura.” He had finally figured out who’s scent it was, and was immediately surprised that Jura was the person who had been training Lucy. He admired Lucy now for her courage; Jura was incredibly powerful, and Laxus immediately assumed that Lucy would be intimidated by him.

 

“Darn, you can still smell him on me?” Lucy started smelling her damp clothes and made a face of the smell of it.

 

“You won’t be able to smell him, Bunny Girl.” Lucy groaned, Gajeel was here now and had probably over heard their conversation. “You’re one brave bunny though.” He cackled at the look on Lucy’s face.

 

“Oh never mind. I’m going to see if there’s a shower somewhere around here.” Lucy downed the rest of her coffee and slunk off muttering about slayers and their noses.

 

It took her a bit to find a shower, but once she fond one, Lucy scurried inside and locked the stall door. She turned the nozzle on the wall and cold water sprayed onto her cold, naked body. She immediately flung herself as far away from the cold water as possible. Lucy waited a few minutes before testing the water again. Once the water was an adequate temperature, Lucy quickly washed her body and hair. She was disappointed to find that there was no conditioner.

 

Lucy stepped out of the warm stream of water, and unlocked the door. She poked her head out of the narrow space between the door and the wall. It seemed that no one was around, so she quickly gathered her clothes and called Virgo again.

 

“Punishment, Hime?” Virgo looked at Lucy, who was still very naked.

 

“I’m sorry to have to ask this of you, Virgo, but I have no clothes.” Without a second to spare, Virgo poofed away. She returned half a minute later with all the things Lucy needed. Lucy almost hugged Virgo while completely naked, but refrained from doing so. Loke would never let her hear the end of it if she did.

 

“I will depart, Hime.” And with that, Virgo was gone. Lucy gratefully changed into her new clothes, and folded up her wet clothes and put them in her emergency pack.

 

When Lucy emerged from her shower, she found Gajeel and Laxus occasionally exchanging words over breakfast.

 

“Lucy, this one’s for you.” Lisanna told her from the other side of the bar, and Lucy hurried over and started eating.

 

“Lis, did you make this?” Lucy said between gulps of another cup of coffee. Lisanna nodded, and Lucy wondered why she had kept this skill hidden from others. “It’s amazing. Why didn’t you tell me you could cook before?”

 

Lisanna blushed and shuffled her feet. “Well, Mira’s so good at cooking. I don’t want my food to be compared to hers.”

 

“No, you two have very different cooking style. Mira uses different types of foods to flavor her meals. She’ll use tomato on her grilled cheese, for example. But you use herbs, this omelette has thyme in it.” Lucy confidently told Lisanna. She blushed and smiled back.

 

“Blondie, what’s your plan for today?” Laxus asked in his deep voice. Lucy yawned.

 

“I’m probably going to head back home soon. I have things to do, plus I’m really tired.” Lucy mumbled a little, and felt her exhaustion hit her full force.

 

“Alright. You should probably say bye to the others.” Laxus took a long draw of his second cup of coffee. Lucy nodded and slipped off her seat, and dragged herself up the stairs into the infirmary.

 

“Lucy, thank you so much for helping them.” Mira rushed over, and Lucy noticed she had slightly puffy eyes.

 

“Of course, Mira. How are they doing?” Lucy asked quietly, she could see a mop of blue hair cuddled up in one of the infirmary beds.

 

“They’re all asleep, even Wendy is out cold.” Mira smiled, and so did Lucy.

 

“Good, Mira I need to head out. I have to get home, and I don’t want to deal with a full guild.” Lucy knew that Mira would be disappointed, and quite frankly Lucy wanted to stay. There was a part of her that knew it would be good, she wanted to see Cana, and hold her tightly. Lucy wanted to be crushed against Erza’s armor in her painful, yet wonderful, hug. She missed Levy so much, and she wanted to be around her friends. Then, there’s was the part of Lucy that knew it wasn’t time, that she wasn’t ready to be back and that she wasn’t done getting stronger.

 

“Aw, Lucy that’s too bad. Look, we’re going to have a halloween party. Please try to make it.” Mira looked downcast at the fact that Lucy would be leaving so quickly after arriving. “Thanks again, Lucy.”

 

“Of course, call me on my communication lacrima at any time.” Lucy gave her a soft hug, and left her to caring for Freed.

 

The guild was emptier when she went back downstairs. Lisanna was gone, so was Gajeel. Master and Laxus were walking up the stairs to his office, a thoroughly annoyed look was creeping onto Laxus’ face. The old man was probably ragging on him for one thing or another.

 

“Bye you two, take good care of Freed.” Was all that she said, before hurrying out the guild doors. She knew that people would start arriving in the next 10 minutes, and she wanted to be in an empty compartment on a train by that time. She scurried down the empty streets, she sped around the last corner until the straight towards the station.

 

A minute later, she was there and buying a ticket. She knew she wasn’t in the clear yet, and she anxiously waited for the train to arrive. It arrive six minutes later, and Lucy rushed on and found a compartment that was blissfully deserted. The train began to move a few minutes later, and Lucy was almost lulled to sleep from the movement of the train.

 

❦

 

A incredible need to sneeze woke Jura up, and as he opened his eyes, the sneeze came full force. He groaned grumpily and threw his navy blue comforter off his body, with the olive green top sheet following suit. There was no movement in the house, and he assumed that Lucy was still asleep. A small smile adorned his face, despite his sour mood from being sick. He made his way to the kitchen to see a note on the counter, and blinked a few times before reading it. He ran his hand through his beard, and wondered what kind of job Lucy was on, and when she’d be home. He folded the note and slipped it into an inner pocket of his robe.

 

Jura opened the fridge and pulled out the soup that Lucy had made and began to reheat it. The house felt very bare to him, and he knew the obvious that it was because Lucy wasn’t there. Then he realized that it bothered him that she wasn’t there. The soup began to bubble, and Jura turned off the stove and ladled the it into a bowl. He sat there, knowing that Lucy took care of him and that if she left, he’d have to deal with that loss. He then thought about what he did for Lucy, he trained her, but that was a simple task that he enjoyed. He sat there glaring at his spoon for quite some time.

 

The morning inched along for him, and he found himself picking out a book that belonged to Lucy. He flipped the pages over, and began reading. He wanted to know as much about Lucy’s magic as he could, he wanted to return the care she had given to him.

 

About an hour after he had started the book, Jura felt that he should call Lucy to see how she was doing, and when she’d be home. Depending on what her answer was, he’d start a lasagna for her return meal. He put a bookmark at his spot, and got up to retrieve his own lacrima from his room. He returned to the living room, and called Lucy.

 

Her face appeared in the orb looking very tired.

 

“Lucy, is everything ok?” He was concerned, Jura had never seen Lucy look so weary.

 

“Yeah, it is now. Freed broke his back, and Evergreen got some minor cuts and bruises. They’ll both heal in time. I’m on my way home now.” Lucy spoke, but yawned in between her words.

 

“That is good news, Lucy. Do you know where you are?” He asked simply, Jura also needed to know when to start the early lunch.

 

“I think I’ll be home in three or so hours. We passed Onibus 45 minutes ago. I’ll find a carriage driver when I arrive.” Lucy seemed somewhat reserved to Jura, but he didn’t press the issue. He respected the fact that Lucy would talk to him if and when she felt ready.

 

“Alright, I’ll see you when you get here. Try to get some rest when you get into the carriage.” Jura suggested, and Lucy nodded.

 

“Bye for now.” And with that, she hung up. Lucy was pleased that Jura had called, it was quite thoughtful of him. When she got home, she’d thank him for it.

 

The 20 minutes left until Kunngi dragged on for Lucy at an irritatingly slow pace, and when they finally arrived, she rushed off the train and began to search for a carriage to take her home. After searching for a bit, she found one she could afford. The seat insidewas cushioned and comfortable, and it didn’t take long for Lucy to pass out.

 

They hit a particularly unpleasant rock at some point that woke Lucy up. She groaned as she lifted herself from the cozy cushion covered bench and sat up. She rubbed her eyes for moment, before deciding to pop up to the front to ask the driver where they were. On her short trip to the front, they hit another bump, and Lucy nearly fell over. After she regained balance, Lucy made it to the front and discovered that there was only about 15 minutes before Shirotsume. The last fifteen minutes where horrible for Lucy. She wanted to be home so badly, to be away from all the drama and the injuries. She wanted to be at her home, where Jura would smile at her in the morning, and occasionally make fun of her morning hair. Lucy knew now that she was split between two homes, but that her new home was where she’d find true peace.

 

The carriage jolted to a halt, and Lucy clambered out of the carriage, paid without much attention, and bolted. She ran through the streets, trying to keep her balance at every turn, and out into the country side. She kept on running down the well worn path towards her home, and Jura’s home. She saw the little cabin and picked up speed, until she almost tripped to a stop in front of the door and wrenched it open. Lucy dropped her bag by the door, took off her shoes, and went to the living room library.

 

She found Jura standing up from his seat and walking towards her. Lucy rushed towards him and face planted into his chest and hugged him fiercely. Before she knew it, Lucy was crying for her friends and for her guild. She felt Jura’s arms wrap around her whole body and hold her closely. Lucy told him about Droy and Cana, and how Freed was going to heal, but how scary it was to see him so wounded. How she just wanted to sleep, and just exactly how hungry she was.

 

By the end Lucy’s meltdown, Jura was holding her to his chest with one massive arm, and using the other to gently stroke her hair and upper back. He felt Lucy’s shuddering cries start to slow, and her muscles relaxed. Lucy nuzzled herself into Jura’s chest; she couldn’t help it, he was just so comforting and warm. Jura had started to methodically run his hands through her hair now, not just over it, and it made Lucy incredibly sleepy.

She knew she could fall asleep in his warmth, but probably shouldn’t stay there for much longer, so she started to wiggle free. Jura let the arm holding her go, and Lucy stepped back for a moment.

 

“I… thank you, Jura. It’s been a long, emotional day. Thank you for letting me stay here, and for being such a good friend to me.” Lucy looked for for a moment, and then back up at Jura. He looked concerned, so Lucy went on. “I wish I could have at least helped Freed with the pain, but he had to travel in agony. I need to learn some basic healing magic.

 

“Of course, Lucy. You will in due time, it’s very complex though, for now, continue growing and I know you will get there. I’ve made a lasagna, but after lunch you’re going to bed.” His lips formed a smile that was heartwarming as he said this to Lucy. In this moment, she was incredibly glad that she had chosen Jura to be her companion in gaining magical and physical strength.

 

“Lasagna? Can we eat that now please?” Lucy gave Jura the biggest eyes she could, and smiled when she heard his deep chuckle. Lucy turned towards the kitchen, and Jura followed, still chuckling at the face Lucy had made.

 

Twenty minutes later Lucy had devoured a least a quarter of the whole lasagna pan, and was finally full. She grabbed her plate to start to wash and dry it, but Jura intercepted her before she was completely out of her seat.

 

“It’s my turn to order you to bed.” He smiled at her, but the look in his eyes was clear and firm. She knew that arguing out it wasn’t the best idea, but Lucy still tried.

 

“But you’re still sick!“ Her protest was silenced when Jura grabbed a wooden spoon from the basket of spoons.

 

“My cold has gotten better, you have been awake for far too long. Plus, I wield the wooden spoon of power.” Jura made his final declaration, and Lucy laughed in earnest. Her exhaustion was getting the best of her, so she got up from her chair, and bade him a very early goodnight. He shooed her out of the kitchen, the same way she had the previous evening.

 

Lucy slipped out of her clothes and into her bed fairly quickly. The sheets were cold, and she sighed with happiness at the feeling on her skin. She cuddled up into her blankets and felt her eyes getting heavy, and her body finally relaxing. Not long after, Lucy was fast asleep, and Jura was cleaning the kitchen, smiling brightly to himself.


	6. 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna give a heads up to folks on this chapter, its got some unpleasant consent stuff. (Not sure how else to describe it. If any of you have suggestions, please feel free to tell me.) 
> 
> Read on with caution.

Hi all. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Well, worry not. I already have chapter 7 in the works. Just a warning to my younger readers, this chapter has mature content in it.

 

Well, that’s it from me. I do not own FT or the characters. Remember to follow/fav and review please.

 

Chapter 6:

 

Levy’s eyes cracked open, and she looked around the room. This wasn’t her room, but she knew that. This was Gajeel’s room, and it matched the slayer to a T. Dark walls, metal tables, and a metal headboard. The slayer in question was right behind her, with his massive and pierced arm draped over her petite waist. Levy quickly turned around and cuddled into the massive man’s chest, and moaned a little when she felt him pressing insistently against her thigh. He was massive indeed.

 

Levy could feel herself moistening, and wanted him so badly, but he was asleep. Or so she thought. Gajeel was very much awake due to his throbbing member, but had enjoyed just relaxing with his eyes closed next to his Shrimp. She was perfectly teeny, and was deliciously submissive. Gajeel tried to not let out a growl, but was unsuccessful in this, as Levy had started trailing her little fingers down his chest. Her slim digits started to inch their way to his throbbing cock, and Gajeel heard her giggle. He opened one eye to see Levy’s face twisted in a devilish smile.

 

“What you got in mind, Shrimp?” His voice rumbled through her body, and made her tremble with excitement. Levy didn’t respond though, she just smiled at him and let one of her small hands wrap around his thick shaft, the other dipped into her own core. When her hand emerged it was coated in her juices, and saw Gajeel lick is lips. Levy held out her sticky fingers to the man in bed with her, and he eagerly licked her fingers clean. Levy wanted to continue teasing him, but Gajeel had other plans and ideas.

 

He quickly flipped Levy onto her belly, and brought her hips up to his now kneeling position, but Levy kept her face in the pillow that she had snatched a few moments earlier. Levy could feel him, grazing her lips ever so softly with his head, and she wanted more. She bumped herself against his head, but Gajeel redrew quickly, and leaned his broad chest into her back.

 

“Shrimp, you’ll need to be a good girl if you want it.” He whispered in her ear, and Levy moaned loudly. She wanted him now, and heard Gajeel returned to his teasing position. Soon, Levy’s legs started to quiver, and her pussy started dripping onto the sheets, and Gajeel grinned at this. Levy had but a moment’s notice when the head of his thick and pierced shaft poked at her entrance for a moment, before thrusting into her roughly.

 

Levy held onto the sheets tightly, and scrunched her eyes closed. She wished Gajeel had given her more of a warning, but it was ok, he seemed to be enjoying himself. His head was stimulating a spot inside of her that made her very core tremble each time he passed by it, and Gajeel knew it. What he didn’t know that it wasn’t a good tremble, each time he roughly thrust into her, Levy felt her insides shake. He pounded into her relentlessly until his own orgasm came, and he unleashed it completely inside the petite woman underneath him who was panting.

 

Levy felt very sore, and wanted a shower badly. She was sticky with sweat and Gajeel’s cum dripping out of her. She watched as Gajeel’s sexy back walked out of his room and into the bathroom, then she heard the shower start and started to get up and grab her clothes. She had been at Gajeel’s for a two days now, and needed new and clean clothes. She wanted to call Lucy, too. She knew that the blonde had more experience with sex and relationships than both her and Lisanna combined. Levy dressed herself, then knocked on the door of the bathroom.

 

“Gajeel, I’m going home to do some laundry and make sure my fridge is fully stocked.” Levy yelled inside, she heard a muffled “Kay, Shrimp.” from Gajeel, but nothing more, so she went on her way. Something seemed off between her and Gajeel, she knew he wasn’t Mr. Feely, but she was sure that they could work through it.

 

Levy closed the door to his house, shaking her head roughly. That had been a really off morning for him, Gajeel was usually more careful with her. She thought through what signals she might’ve given for him to think she was ready for what he gave her. Levy was barely paying attention to where she was going, only walking the right way due to muscle memory. Being outside was starting to overwhelm her, and Levy longed to be with her books again. She hurried along the last street to her house and ran face first into Laxus’ huge chest and squeaked.Levy could feel her anxiety rising, she did not need this right now.

 

“I’m SO sorry Laxus. I didn’t mean to.” Levy apologized immediately, while Laxus stared at her, looking slightly disturbed by something she couldn’t see. He could, however, smell it, and he looked the script mage over, searching for an injury to match the blood he smelled.

 

“It’s no problem, I have to run. Take care, Levy.” Laxus said shortly and curtly, before waving and walking off. He was late for a meeting with his grandfather, and did not want to be distracted by thoughts of the script mage. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, he was irritated now. The smell of Gajeel was in his senses, and he hated it.

 

Once she arrived on her doorstep, Levy unlocked her door, and went inside her apartment in Fairy Hills. Her books welcomed her with their familiar scent and fluttering kindness. She dropped her purse on her bed, and walked over to her bathroom where she turned on her shower. She stripped her clothes off, and looked down at her body, to her surprise, she found blood in her underwear, and not long after she noticed a small droplet trailing down her thigh. She began to panic and stumbled into her shower as fast as she could. She didn’t want blood on her bathroom floor.

 

The water was cleansing and warm, and Levy shampooed her slightly dirty hair. She gently massaged her scalp before rinsing, then she lathered up with conditioner, and went about scrubbing every inch of her body, and shaving her legs, pubes, and armpits. Levy stood under the warm stream and made sure she was rinsed clean before shutting the water off.

 

Levy coated her body in her favorite moisturizer, and put on her most comfortable pair of underwear. Her favorite pair of pajamas were next, along with pulling her favorite book from one of the shelves of her room. But Levy didn’t feel like a favorite right now, and felt something dark creep into her heart. She wanted to withdraw into herself, but knew that she wouldn’t come out of it for a long time. She needed an out, a safe distraction to keep her from sinking into the psychological sandpit that was beginning to pull at her mind. Levy’s eyes wandered the room before she found her lacrima, and a throbbing pain came into her core as she went to stand up and Levy winced, but did nothing about the pain.

 

Communication Lacrima in hand and her cozy blanket wrapped around her body, Levy called Lucy. It took a while for Lucy to answer, and when she did, it wasn’t Lucy at all.

 

“You must be Levy.” The deep voice sounded from the orb. Jura had answered Levy’s call, and Levy was 110% sure she did not want to discuss relationship issues with the bearded wizard saint.

 

“I am, is Lucy around?” Levy hoped that Lucy was in the bathroom or something, as her emotions were beginning to whirl around her, bouncing off the weak spots in the emotional barrier she had put up.

 

“She is not, she’ll be home any minute now. She is out getting groceries and the like. I have a sneaking suspicion, however, that she’s snuck into a few clothing stores.” Levy cracked a small, but sad smile. She missed Lucy dearly, and wanted a shopping spree with her favorite blonde. Then the distinct noise of a door opening and closing could be heard on his end, and Jura raised his eyebrows.

 

“I’m home!” Came Lucy’s voice, as she lifted groceries up onto the small kitchen island. Levy could hear Lucy’s footsteps near the library, as Jura smiled and nodded at Levy, who returned the gesture.

 

“Hi!” Lucy was breathless but happy, and Jura could tell. He liked seeing her flushed cheeks fill with her smile.

 

“Welcome home, Lucy. Your friend Levy called right before you came home. I will unpack the groceries.” Jura said, as he stood and crossed the room fairly quickly. Lucy smiled and nodded, she then closed the door after him and leapt towards the couch. She was so excited to talk to Levy.

 

“Lu-chan!” Levy was in tears, and Lucy calmly sat and waited for her to start talking. “I just… I’m so confused right now. Gajeel and I… well, the sex is good. Usually. I like the piercings, but this morning, it was going nice and sexy and everything.” Levy wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “But then when it came to the actual sex, he was rough and selfish. I’m sore and in pain, and I’m wearing a pad because I think one of his piercings ripped me a little… What do I do?” Levy finished off, and Lucy kept on listening with a calm face. She knew that Jura could probably hear this conversation, but would be respectful about it later on when Lucy inevitably talked to him about it.

 

“Oh Levy, I’m so sorry. He should have been more careful. You two will have to talk this out, he needs to know.” Lucy paused, eyeing her best friend and taking in her petite and scared form. “How do you feel?” Lucy was incredibly worried for her friend. Levy had herself wrapped tightly in a blanket and was on her couch and she looked very shaky.

 

“I feel shaken and gross.” Levy now looked confused and scared, as if she were about to be diagnosed with a terminal illness.

 

“You’re traumatized, Levy. I can see that you’re shaking and you look terrified and very pale.” Lucy calmly explained, and Levy just said ‘Oh.’ in response. Lucy was immediately putting together a list of things that Levy needed. “Have you eaten today? Do you want to stay home?” Lucy asked her two questions, and depending on what her answer was, her course of action would change.

 

“I haven’t eaten, and do I have to leave?” Levy seemed to get physically smaller as she talked more and answered Lucy’s questions.

 

“Of course not, Levy. I’m going to call Mira and have Lisanna bring some food to your place. Oh and Levy, only talk to him when you feel ready, okay?” At this point, Levy was just curled up in a little ball on her couch, and nodded in agreement to Lucy’s statement. “Okay, I’m going to call Mira now. Please call me if you need anything. The rain has kept me inside, so I’m available all day.”

 

Lucy hung up, and Jura walked in moments later, looking grim and angry. His face matched the continued rain that had gone on for two extra weeks than normal. Lucy looked up at her friend and sighed.

 

“You heard, didn’t you? She sounded so scared, and so meek.” Lucy asked, as Jura sat down next to her on the couch.

 

“I did, and very much so. When I answered the call, she seemed so lost and afraid.” Jura said, his mouth set in a thin line. This could be bad, and Lucy hoped that Levy and Gajeel could work this out. She didn’t want Levy to be heartbroken, and she didn’t want to see Levy have to deal with seeing Gajeel in the guild if they broke up. She wanted to see them get married and have kids, Lucy wasn’t so sure about her own love life, but seeing her friends find happiness was of the utmost importance to her. 

 

Lucy picked up her lacrima, and looked at it for a moment. She knew what the right thing was to do, and how hard it would be. The large hand that found it’s way to her back when she was upset returned, and leaned into it. Jura knew, he always did.

 

“Lucy?” The blonde’s face was confused as to why she’d call, his scar contorting with his confusion. “Uh, what’s up?”

 

“Hi Laxus. I need a favor of you,” Lucy paused to collect herself. “I need you to tell Mira to cook a breakfast-lunch combo for Levy. Can you have Lisanna deliver it to Levy’s place? The second thing is harder, will you please keep an eye out on Levy and Gajeel? I think something’s going on with them. It’s probably nothing, but I don’t want Levy to be hurt or alone. I can’t be there for her, so I need you to be just in case.” A tear fell from Lucy’s eye and she quickly wiped away with her sleeve, she was so afraid for her friend, and all she wanted to do was hold Levy close.

 

“That’s deep, Lucy.” Laxus rumbled to her, but he didn’t question her statement. “I ran into her on her way home. She seemed so frazzled. Mira is unwell today, Lisanna is cooking. I can deliver the food to Levy though.” Laxus seemed bored by the task, but Lucy knew now that Laxus was her friend. What she didn’t know was that Laxus didn’t want much to do with Levy and Gajeel as a couple.

 

“That’s unlike you, Laxus. Thank you. Please keep this between us. When I visit next, I’ll pay you back with a home made breakfast. Deal?” Lucy suggested, hoping to make a deal with the big man.

 

“It’ll be worth it, Laxus-Dono. Lucy is quite the chef.” Jura interjected, shifting the lacrima so Laxus could see the both of them.

 

“It’s a deal, and hey Jura. Want a fight when we meet up next?” Laxus grinned, and Jura smiled excitedly.

 

“Not near this house.” Lucy stated, before any senseless deal could be made between the two men. She wasn’t worried about Jura doing something reckless, but she knew that anything within a quarter mile was subject to damage with both mages.

 

“I would enjoy that, Laxus. I have to go back to putting the groceries away, I will let you two finish this conversation.” Jura politely bowed out of the conversation, and continued on with his task.

 

“Thanks again, Laxus. I just… I didn’t see this coming, even though I’m not sure what this is.” Lucy ran a hand through her hair and tucked the strands behind an ear.

 

"Well, let's hope it's nothing. Keep training hard, bye for now.” Lucy sat there, taking deep and calming breaths for a few minutes before she felt ready to go help Jura in the kitchen.

 

Jura looked at Lucy as she came into the kitchen and started numbly putting things away. His respect for Lucy grew and grew the longer he spent time with her.

 

“You did the right thing.” Lucy heard this, and sighed.

 

“When did life get this fucked up, Jura?” Lucy sat down at the table, and put her head in her hands. She was shaking, and Lucy didn’t now that this would effect her so badly. She felt Jura’s black overcoat being draped over her shoulders. After a few minutes, Jura set down a cup of her favorite chamomile lavender tea in front of her, and Lucy could smell the honey in it.

 

“I don’t know, Lucy.” He was honest with her, and Lucy appreciated that. She looked over at her companion as she pulled the hot much of tea towards her.

 

“I’m so glad I called Laxus, but I’m afraid of what’ll happen if Levy finds out. Do you think she’ll be mad at me? I’m afraid that I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, but I can’t just let this pass. Levy isn't someone who's easily shaken.” Lucy’s big, worried eyes bored into Jura’s, and he sighed, his shoulders moving with his breath.

 

“Sometimes, we need to accept that doing the right thing will make others mad, especially if it’s for their own good.” Lucy mulled it over, and it took a moment for her to understand fully.

 

“So you mean that in doing the right thing, I avoided doing the wrong thing that Levy might have wanted? But doesn’t that assume that Levy isn’t capable of knowing what right or wrong is, especially in this situation?” Lucy wasn’t sure she agreed with that, and openly challenged Jura’s placement of this rule in this situation.

 

“Typically, you are correct in that thinking, Lucy. How long has Levy been with Gajeel, does she trust him, and does she love him? If this escalates, Levy might not be able to think rationally about her own situation. If this is a one off incident, then you did what you could and comforted your friend. If this is a bigger deal then you set up a support system for Levy.” Jura explain calmly, and he hoped she understood. Lucy groaned out loud and ran a hand through her still damp hair.

 

“She’s wanted to be with him for such a long time. Of course he’ll tell her that he loves her, and she’ll be strung along like a fish chasing a worm on a hook. I hope this is nothing, just a false alarm.” Jura nodded at this, his face going very still afterwards. “Thank you Jura, I’m incredibly grateful to have you in my life.” Lucy watched Jura’s mouth twitch into a smile for a moment as he stood up to finish putting the groceries away.

 

“Oh Lucy, did you happen to get any more tea?” Jura asked, and Lucy froze mid-sip. She had forgotten the one thing she knew he wanted the most. She’d remembered the apples and the chicken stock, the sliced turkey breast and everything else they needed, but not his favorite chai tea.

 

“I’m sorry, I forgot it.” Lucy said numbly. She made to get up from her seat at the table, but Jura put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. He knew that she needed to relax and have the rest of her tea before it went cold.

 

“It’s okay, Lucy. I’ll run out and get some now.”He wasn’t mad, or disappointed. He forgot things all the time, and Lucy had a better track record than he.

 

“Okay, I’ll make sure you have clean towels when you get home.” Jura put both his hands on her shoulders and squeezed lightly.

 

“Thank you, Lucy.” With that said, Jura grabbed his thicker, wool coat and headed out the door into the consistent and heavy rain pouring from the sky. Lucy stayed in place, hands wrapped firmly around her mug, hoping that Levy was okay. That everything would be okay, and that Levy and Gajeel would be happy together. That was her hope.

 

❦

 

Lisanna wrapped up the food she had made for Levy, and put it in a bag for Laxus to carry the short distance to Fairy Hills. She looked up at Laxus, not trusting his reason for Levy not being in the guild. She was sick, but Levy had been fine last night. Something just didn’t add up for Lisanna, but she wouldn’t press Laxus about it in the crowded guild. She watched him tuck the parcel under his massive arm and stride out of the guild.

 

Laxus wanted to make this a quick a trip as possible, he had a lot of paperwork to do. He opened the door to the girl’s dormitory and found the door that had “Levy” written on it and knocked.

 

“Levy, Mira is out today. I’ve got your food.” Laxus’ deep voice sounded through Levy’s door, and she froze. Laxus was here? She was all curled up and looked a mess, she scrambled with her hair as she flattened it out while walking to her door. She nervously opened her door and stuck her head out as little as she could. Laxus was bigger than Gajeel, and that scared her.

 

“Thank you, Laxus. I uhm… Thanks.” Levy was so tired, hungry, and fried. She just wanted to eat, and then curl up on her couch with a good book.

 

Laxus eyed her for a moment. She had the same scared look in her eyes as when she had ran into him earlier in the morning. Levy couldn’t tell what it was, but she wanted to know.

 

“Enjoy your food.” Laxus’ deep voice rumbled through Levy, and she looked him in the eye. There it was again, feigned boredom.

 

“Right, thanks again Laxus.” Levy said quickly, as Laxus handed over her food. He nodded towards her before turning around and leaving Fairy Hills.

 

Levy fell onto her couch, the container of food sitting in her lap. Levy’s thoughts swirled around in her head, confusing her and making her just want to feel nothing. She felt nervous around Gajeel now, he wouldn’t like that she’d been in close proximity to Laxus. He wouldn’t like that she had gone to Lucy, not to him. How had the day taken such a twisted turn? She had been curled up to the man she loved in the morning, then they had started out with sexy stuff. Levy kept on wondering what she had done wrong, what she might’ve done to make Gajeel want to hurt her like he had. Levy took a deep breath and told herself that everything would be okay. It had to be. Gajeel wasn’t the type to be purposefully harmful, not anymore, not since he joined Fairy Tail.

 

Levy grabbed the fork that Lisanna had packed into the container and started eating. It took only a few bites for Levy to feel full, and she closed the lid of the container and put the food in her fridge. When she was done, she curled up on her couch again. It took her a little while, but Levy eventually drifted off into her book, and after a few hours passed, she drifted off to sleep.

 

❦

 

Lisanna continued to do her job at the guild in lieu of her sister. Mira had called her early in the morning with terrible cramps and bedhead like no other. Lisanna knew the pain all too well, and told her older sister that she’d fill in for her. She let her mind wander to other things as she toweled off the rough, wooden counter of the bar. Something seemed off about Levy, and she would visit her when Mira was back at the counter. Lisanna had the thought that she should call Lucy when she got home from work, but the man that had caught her eye slid onto the barstool in front of her.

 

“Heya Lis.” Lisanna nearly melted at Bixlow’s voice. He was such a sexy man with such a sexy voice, and they had become friends. She doubted Lucy when she said that they’d be dating though, she was way too shy to ask him out! She hoped one day he’d ask her out though, but until they, she’d have to settle with this subtle flirting thing that they did.

 

“Hi, is there anything I can get you?” Lisanna tried to make eye contact and smile, but lost her nerve so she grabbed a mug and started to polish it.

 

“What do you recommend? I’m hungry, so I could go for something to eat.” Bixlow leaned against the freshly cleaned bar, and made eyes at Lisanna. She nearly dropped her mug.

 

“I uhm… ok. So I like the potato gratin. The way I make it is with gruyere, garlic and thyme and cornichons sliced on top.” Lisanna said, very quickly. She mentally kicked herself, she was 19, and wasn’t supposed to get this nervous over a man. That was for preteens! She couldn’t help herself though, she wanted to vault over the bar and straddle him on the stool.

 

“I’ll have one of those then, Lisanna. Thank you very much.” And Bixlow winked at her. She stood stock still for a moment, before whirling around into the kitchen to put the big bowl of prepared gratin in the oven. While she was waiting for the timer, Lisanna took as many calming breaths as she could. She was filling in for her sister, not trying to pick up the gorgeous man at the bar.

 

Lisanna reappeared a few moments earlier, and much to Bixlow’s pleasure, she still had a pink tint to her cheeks. He enjoyed flirting with her, and figured from her responses that she also enjoyed their banter. She carried an egg timer, and attended to other guild mates, and when the timer dinged, she retrieved his food. It smelled amazing, the thyme had permeated the potatoes andbut he wasn’t surprised. Lisanna was Mira’s little sister after all, and her cooking smelled just as amazing. Then it hit him. He was screwed. He, Bixlow, had managed to become attracted to the little sister of the guild Demon, with an older brother who would smash him into the ground. Then there was Mira and Laxus, or Freed, or both. He wasn’t sure what was going with that threesome.

 

He numbly picked up the food and took a bite. He was used to Mira’s cooking, and he was pleasantly surprised by the flavors in Lisanna’s food. She had used herbs and pepper in it, and the way they intertwined was amazing.

 

“Lis, this is amazing.” Bixlow said as she passed by, and Lisanna beamed. It was clear that this was something she enjoyed doing. Bixlow swallowed quickly, and stuck his tongue out at Lisanna, who burst into a fit of giggles.

 

“Thanks Bix.” She was quick in response, and Lisanna quickly turned away from the grinning seith mage to fill an order. There was something about that man that caught Lisanna’s attention every time she saw him. Every interaction was fun and carefree, and though Lucy was the queen of carefree, Bixlow had that air about him as well. He swept away her worries of that day for a few minutes, and that made Lisanna happy.

 

She did her sister’s job as well as she could for the next few hours, and Bixlow stayed at the counter the whole time. When there was a lull in activity, they chatted about magic, and Lisanna brought out her little spirit that Lucy had gifted her. Her little pup danced around Bixlow while he laughed. Lisanna was happy as a clam, but that would come an end as Bixlow got up from his seat and made his way over to her.

 

“So Lis, I’m going away to train for about a month, and I’ll be leaving in a few minutes. Lucy and I have a fight planned out for when she comes to visit, and I want to be in top form.” Bixlow explained, watching Lisanna’s face fall made his chest contract a little.

 

“Oh, I see.” Lisanna didn’t look him in the eyes for a few moments, but then brightened. “Will you be back for the halloween party?”

 

“Of course I will be. We could even have costumes with a matching theme.” Bixlow suggested it, thinking Lisanna would find it silly, but she seemed delighted.

 

“Sounds like a plan, Bixlow.” And before he could respond, Lisanna had exited the bar area, and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and nuzzled into his neck. As her body made contact with his, she melted inside and sighed happily.

 

Bixlow was taken aback at first, but returned the hug with gusto before picking her up and spinning in a circle, Lisanna laughing happily as she twirled with him. When he set her back down, Lisanna kept her arms around his shoulders and looked up into his eyes.

 

“So, I’ll see you in a month, Bix.” And Lisanna held the eye contact. Before she knew it, Bixlow had gently brushed his lips against hers, and Lisanna had whimpered. Both pulled back immediately when they heard a few gasps of their guilds mates. Lisanna giggled, her face now completely red. She let her arms drop from Bixlow’s shoulders, and she backed away a foot or so, but the devilish smile had not left her face.

 

Bixlow winked at her, and turned and left the guild. As he walked out, Cana gave him the thumbs up, Wacao stared at him wide eyed, and he could feel the stares of countless more on him. Bixlow just bared the uncomfortable silence now coating the guild, and just continued to walk towards the door.

❦

 

Jura sloshed grumpily through the rain back to his home, groceries in arm. At the store, a bar of chocolate had caught his eye. Honey comb and dark chocolate. He had stared at it for a good 30 seconds before snatching it from the shelf and adding it to his basket of tea, fresh cherries and orange juice. He thought the chocolate would be a nice treat for Lucy, as he knew she’d had a rough day. He continued his pace along the path when he heard mewling and rustling. He squinted through the rain, and saw a fox holding a kitten in it’s mouth. Jura sighed, and slowly built up a wall of earth around the fox, trapping it so he could retrieve the kitten. He had to grab the fox by the muzzle to get the bigger animal let go of the squirming baby cat.

 

The little animal was dirty and scared, and Jura could tell the kitten was getting cold. He gently tucked the little one into his coat, and made sure the kitten was pressed against his chest. He quickly grabbed his bag of necessities and quickly strode down the muddy path towards his cabin. Jura worried that the bundle against his chest wouldn’t make it, and he was grateful when he saw the lights of his home.

 

Lucy was startled when Jura burst into the kitchen, muddy and wet. He was a man on a mission, and Lucy’s eyes widened when he pulled a dirty kitten from the depths of his clothing. Lucy grabbed the towel that was usually reserved for Jura’s beard and took the squirming kitten from his grasp. It did not like being taken away from Jura’s warmth, and Lucy immediately wrapped it up and held it against her own chest. She turned to Jura, who had dried himself off enough to walk around without dripping muddy water everywhere.

 

“Go clean up, I’ll give this little kitten a bath in the kitchen sink.” Lucy plugged the sink and started filling it with warm water, but not too hot. She held the wrapped kitten up to her own face, and looked at the scared little animal. “It’s okay sweetie, I’m going to take care of you.” Lucy’s soft voice was soothing, and the kitten didn’t struggle when she gently dunked it in water. She held the animal afloat in the water with one hand, and with her left hand, she fumbled around with her Keys until she found Loke’s. The proud spirit arrived with a flash of gold glitter, startling the kitten in the bath.

 

“Princess, your-“ Lucy interrupted him, having no patience for Loke’s usual nonesense, and dealing with a struggling, wet kitten.

 

“Loke, I have a rescue kitten here. I need your help please.” Lucy had picked the wet animal out of the bath, and was drying it off with a clean towel. Loke immediately fell into line, and gently took the animal from Lucy as she dried herself off. She eyed the kitten that Loke was holding. Now that she got a better look, she noticed the patterns in it’s fur. The brown, white, black and orange were splashed across it’s body. They had a calico cat.

 

“It’s a girl.” Lucy looked at her spirit. How he knew this was beyond her, and Lucy just watched Loke care for the kitten. Lucy wanted to keep her, she had big, yellow eyes that crushed Lucy’s heart when she looked at her, and the sweetest little face.

 

“Well, we’ll need a name for her, then.” Jura’s voice lofted in from the hallway, as he walked into the kitchen where Loke and Lucy were cooing over the kitten. Lucy smiled as she gently took the kitten from Loke.

 

“We’re keeping her?” Lucy couldn’t contain her excitement, and a wide smile crept across her face.

 

“Of course we are. I would have brought her to the animal shelter if I didn’t have any intention of keeping her.” Jura explained, without any doubt in his voice or mind. Lucy gently stroked the kitten’s head and rubbed the back of her ears. A soft chirping came from the little creature, and Lucy couldn’t help but giggle.

 

“So, what will we name her?” Lucy carefully walked over to the great, bearded man, and handed him the teeny kitten. She watched, mouth almost agape, as Jura handled the small animal with the utmost care and gentility.

 

“Coco suits her just fine.” Lucy stared, and Loke made a quiet choking noise in the background. The kitten, however, started to purr happily. Jura had started stroking her head and down her spine, and it seemed that Coco loved it.

 

“Coco it is.” Lucy looked down at the kitten in Jura’s arms and felt moved by the fact that Jura had saved her. He could have just kept on walking, or taken her to a vet, but he chose to adopt her. Lucy respected Jura for many reasons, and this was just an example of why.

 

Loke cleared his throat and went to retrieve Coco from Jura’s arms. “She’ll need a litter box, a nest, kitten formula, and constant care.” Loke knew Lucy was on cloud nine, and was barely paying attention. Even Jura seemed distracted by Coco. “Do you have any milk? It isn’t ideal, but it will have to do for tonight.”

 

Lucy seemed to pay attention now that Loke was talking again, and she quickly opened the fridge and retrieved the cows milk. Jura took Coco back.

 

“Ok now you have to warm it up just a little, we don’t want her to get cold.” Loke directed Lucy around the kitchen with the milk. Jura sat down at the kitchen island, Coco still in his arms, and stroked her little head gently.

 

Lucy almost heated the milk too much, as she hadn’t stopped staring at the little kitten, and Loke had ended up poking her. After that, Lucy had paid better attention to her task. She poured the warm milk into a shallow bowl and set it on the counter.

 

“So Loke, did you look like this when you were a child?” Lucy teased, poking her friend in the cheek.

 

“No! I was a fierce lion cub!” Loke was indignant, but a smile was hidden under his hissy fit. Lucy was giggling at him, and Loke couldn’t help but laugh as well. They both turned to see Jura placing Coco onto the countertop, and coaxing her towards the milk. She knew this little girl would be spoiled by Jura, and Lucy couldn’t help but want to spoil her, too. She sat down and watched her kitten lap gently from the bowl of milk.

 

“It’s been a long day, Jura.” Lucy yawned her words, and Jura followed suit. Both their eyes turned to the new member of the household, and a realization dawned upon both of them.

 

“We’ll have to make sure she’s warm, and has a litter box, and she’ll probably end up sleeping in one of our rooms.” Jura said, and stroked Coco’s back at the same time. She arched her back, and a tiny purr emitted from her chest. Lucy couldn’t help but make high pitched squealing noises that sounded suspiciously like “Oh my god she’s just too cute.”, but Jura couldn’t tell.

 

“I think she likes you best, Jura.” Lucy smiled, as Coco had walked over to her, and was nuzzling into her hand, asking for attention. Lucy immediately scratched Coco behind the ears rubbed the top of her head with her thumb. “So, she’ll sleep in your room tonight, but feel free to wake me if you need anything.”

 

Loke watched this whole interaction, and felt jealous. He and Lucy had never had a friendship like the one she had with Jura. He wished that he, and all the other spirits, could spend more time with Lucy.

 

“Oh, we haven’t had dinner yet,” Lucy’s voice trailed off, and she gently held onto horologium’s key. “And, it’s only 6:30.”

 

“Well then, we should make dinner together then.” Jura suggested, and Lucy agreed immediately.

 

“Loke, will you be staying-“ Lucy turned to see that her spirit wasn’t there anymore. “Oh, he’s mad at me for something, I’m sure if it.” Lucy mumbled under he breath, as she began to chop up potatoes.

 

❦

 

Levy’s eyes fluttered open, she was not on her couch, but on her bed. Something large had curled around her, and that something was Gajeel. She groaned a little and shifted in bed, hoping that he’d stay asleep. Instead, she felt his lips brush against her neck.

 

“I missed you today, Shrimp. You ran off and I didn’t get to see you.” Gajeel’s nose snuggled into the space behind Levy’s ear, and she sighed happily. He was warm, a bit rough around the edges, but comforting. It seemed that the morning’s event had been a miscommunication, and Levy gently snuggled into Gajeel's body.

 

She could talk to him later, discuss her boundaries later, and hopefully work things out later. For now, all she wanted to do was go back to sleep with Gajeel’s warm body close to hers.


	7. 7

Woo hoo! It’s been a while, and I’ve been sitting on this puppy for a while. BUT I’ve finished editing and now it’s time for more beardiness.

So obvious I don’t own fairy tail, so theres that bit.

 

ALSO WARNING! This story is rated M for a reason, and that reason really starts in this chapter. I hope you all enjoy.

 

❦

 

 

Lucy loved Coco because she was such a little dare devil, and she had watched the kitten slowly paw the salt shaker off the kitchen island whislt staring Jura dead in the eye. Lucy and Jura had both taken her to the vet the morning after they’d found her, and was informed that she was 5 months old, and should be eating wet food. That was a month or so ago, and she was still a small little creature.

 

Coco was curled up on Lucy’s shoulder, and was purring contently. Lucy had spent most of her day relaxed on the red velvet couch in the library, reading up on unison raids. She had performed one once before with Juvia, and it was incredibly complex magic. She was looking through the requirements of a unison raid, and she was only a few pages away from the end. She had been unable to sleep the night before, and her restlessness had born an amazing idea.

 

Lucy flicked the last page to the side, and snapped the book shut. She was staring at the small ottoman that held Jura’s feet. It might just be possible, and if she could pull it off with consistency, then she just might be able to make S-class and beyond. Lucy smiled up at Jura with wide, excited eyes.

 

“Jura,” Lucy said, now staring directly at her mentor and friend. “Is it possible to unison raid with a spirit?”

 

Jura’s brows furrowed. He was either thinking hard, or displeased, and Lucy assumed it was the former. He began to stroke his beard, a habit of his when he was somewhere else in his own mind, and he made a low humming noise.

 

“It’s… possible. It would be incredibly difficult, and I’m not sure it’s ever been done before.” Jura was now smiling broadly.

 

“Then I’m going to do it.” Lucy stated, and Jura had now doubt in his mind that Lucy was capable. Lucy smiled back at Jura, and started summoning her spirits.

 

“Loke, Virgo, Capricorn!” She called out, and three puffs of gold sparkles appeared. Virgo and Capricorn bowed, and Loke sulked. “I’ve come to a decision, and I will need your help.” Lucy was ecstatic, and the whole room was filled with her joy.

 

“How may we help?” Capricorn said, his deep voice revealing his joy at being called out. In this moment, Lucy couldn’t help but find similarities between Capricorn and Jura’s demeanors.

 

“I want to learn how to Unison Raid with each one of you.” Lucy said, staring at each of her most trusted spirits as she spoke. Loke looked at her wide eyed, with his mouth open just a fraction, Virgo smiled innocently, and Capricorn looked at her, pride in his eyes.

 

“Lucy, I will gladly be there every step of the way, helping you learn and doing what I can.” Loke was the first to speak, and a wide smile had now formed on his face.

 

“I’m glad, Loke. This will also strengthen the bond between all of us, something I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time.” Lucy said, while picking up Coco and handing her to Loke. She knew that her lion loved the little kitten, and Coco seemed to enjoy being held by Loke. Jura looked up at Lucy’s spirits and voiced his own question.

 

“Just how would a unison raid work?” Loke smiled at him, and Virgo bowed respectfully again.

 

“I believe that Urano Metoria can be modified, and our magic would do just that. An example of that would be with Virgo’s Spica Lock would be added to the spell, and Lucy would be able to immobilize and attack her enemies.” Capricorn theorized, and Jura nodded along understandingly. Lucy couldn’t help but smirk, the two men were quite similar in a comforting way. She looked over to see Loke also looking highly amused, and tried to hold her in her laughter.

 

“Capricorn, what would happen with Gemini? Could our Unison Raid be two Urano Metoria going off simultaneously?” Capricorn smiled proudly again, and nodded at Lucy. An excited smile adorned her face, and she clapped her hands together. “Well that settles that then. I’ll see you and Virgo later. Loke, would you like to stay for lunch?”

 

The room got visibly brighter as Loke accepted happily, and took Lucy’s hand and led her into the kitchen like a happy child waiting for his mother to give him the chocolate bar she kept out of reach. Lucy humored him, and for the next 25 minutes, ordered Loke around the kitchen.

 

Jura closed his book when Lucy peeked around the doorway of the library, a bright smile on her face.

 

“Lunch is ready.Uhm, Loke went a bit overboard, so we’ll probably have leftovers for dinner.” Lucy was blushing a little, and giggling sheepishly.

 

“That is fine, Lucy. That saves us time preparing dinner.” Jura stood up from his chair and followed Lucy into their small kitchen. Loke was placing the last dish that was filled with food on the counter and was humming. Jura stared. He had heard tales of the great lion spirit, but this was not the picture the tales had painted.

 

“Let’s eat!” Loke said, a look of manic joy across his face. Jura chuckled, and went to get plates and forks.

 

❦

 

Bixlow trudged through the mud and rain, his displeasure at not stopping for the night in the previous town. Why did he think he could get to the train station before nightfall? His totems bounced around him, and one of them nudged his cheek, as if to urge him forward. He just had to make it to Oshibana, and then he could find an inn, and pass out. Bixlow scrunched his nose for a moment, a fowl smell had floated his way. He looked around, to find a puddle of mud that was emitting the offending scent.

 

He was so very done with being in the rain, so done being away from home, and done being away from her. He missed her brilliant smile, her joyful giggle, and the way she looked at him. He had seen the way Lisanna was before Lucy had brought her out of the shadows, and it had pained him. Bixlow knew he owed Lucy a huge thank you, even for just doing the right thing that the rest of the guild hadn’t done. He shook the rain out of his drenched hair, and sighed. He had it bad and he knew it.

 

Oshibana finally came into view, and Bixlow was beyond thrilled. He sloshed down the streets and made his way to an affordable hotel. Part of him was nervous that they would be fully booked, but when he arrived, he found that they had plenty of rooms available. When he opened the door to his modest room for the night, he immediately went to the bathroom and stripped his wet and uncomfortable clothes off. He turned the shower on, and stepped into the shower the moment the water was warm. He stayed there for a while, allowing the warm water to wash away the chill of the rain.

 

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Bixlow looked down to see his cock hard and throbbing. He crossed his arms and stared down, debating on whether or not to turn the shower cold. He decided to let it be for a while, and finish washing the dirt off his body. He had just finished washing conditioner out of his hair when a voice floated in the back of his head. “You could do it, thinking about her.” Bixlow scowled and turned the shower handle to cold.

 

Bixlow put the issue to rest, and began to dress himself in clean clothes. He pulled out some dried fruit and nibbled on it, grimacing. He wanted a warm meal that made him feel full and relaxed. He was done eating dried foods. Bixlow pulled back the dry, clean sheets and lay down on the mattress. This was the most comfortable he’d been in a good few months, and he was going to enjoy it. He thought about all the things he’d do when he got home. Bixlow knew he’d probably have to dust his whole apartment, and buy new food. He’d visit the guild, and say hello to Laxus, Evergreen and Freed, and probably mingle.

 

He couldn’t lie to himself though; Bixlow knew he’d go to the guild to see Lisanna above all else. Lisanna had called him on his lacrima at a few times a month, and each time they spoke, Bixlow rediscovered just how wonderful she was. He knew a little bistro that she’d like that he’d take her to when they had the time. He sighed and stared at the ceiling, he’d never experienced an attraction this intense before. He’d been with a few women, and he’d liked them all, but not enough to pursue a relationship. Bixlow knew this was different, and he’d be sure to spoil her in every way he knew how.

 

Bixlow realized he was hard again, and he stuck his tongue out at his own dick. He wouldn’t do that here, not in a hotel bed. He just couldn’t bring himself to make a mess that someone else would have to clean. He did everything he couldto put the ‘matter’ to rest, and eventually Bixlow felt his eyes get heavy and his body relax into the mattress.

 

Morning arrived sooner than Bixlow would have liked, and he realized as his eyes fought the light of the sun, that he’d very much enjoy sleeping in again. He swung his legs over the site of the bed and walked into the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and sorted out his hair. Next, he found his last pair of clean clothes, and sighed as he slipped out of his flannel pajama pants, and into his jeans. He pulled his teeshirt over his head and ruffled his hair in the process, then Bixlow pulled his hoodie on, and zipped up. He then went through the room to make sure he hadn’t left anything behind. Next, he went into the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste, stuffed them in his bag, and did one last sweep of the room.

 

It was a bright and crisp morning, and Bixlow knew autumn had arrived. He walked towards the train station and when he arrived, he purchased the ticket back home. A wide smile curled into his face, and he waiting patiently for his train to arrive. He boarded the train when it arrived, and spent the whole trip smiling to himself.

 

❦

 

Lisanna and Levy stood in one of the back rooms, Lisanna was crying and worried.

 

“I mean, what if that kiss meant nothing to him? What if he comes back and doesn’t want more than a one night stand?” Lisanna couldn’t help the tears that poured down her cheeks. She was scared; she’d had crushes before, but nothing like this. “And how can I face him in the guild if that’s what he does want?” Levy rubbed her friend’s back as she cried.

 

“Honestly? I think Bixlow is smarter than that. If he wanted a one night stand, he’d find one. Now, I didn’t see the kiss, but I heard that it was pretty spectacular. I don’t think he’d make that sort of public declaration without meaning something by it.” Levy explained logically. She’d seen how Bixlow looked at Lisanna before, and it made her jealous. She wanted someone to look at her to way Bixlow looked at Lisanna.

 

The door burst open, revealing a very pissed Gajeel. Levy had disappeared on him, andhe had no way of knowing who she was in a closet with. It could have been a man.

 

“Time to go.” Gajeel almost growled at Levy, grabbed her upper arm, and dragged her out of the room. Lisanna watched in horror as her friend’s boyfriend physically controlled her. She got up and followed them out of the room, watching the misery seem to take it’s permanent place on Levy’s face. Everything in Lisanna’s body screamed out that this was wrong. She made to try and intervene, but Gajeel turned his head and silenced her with a stare that promised violent retribution.

 

Laxus was leaning over the railing of the second floor, quietly observing the guild and the different relationships that had began to form in the wake of Lucy’s departure. His eyes slowly latched onto the emerging scene of Gajeel, Levy and right behind them, Lisanna. His eyes locked onto Gajeel’s hand, bruising Levy’s arm so much that he could see it forming before his very eyes. It took all his self control not to rip Gajeel’s arm off. The whole guild went silent as Gajeel dragged a now crying Levy out the front door. Lisanna had tried to follow, to keep Levy safe in any way that she could, but Elfman had grabbed her hand and pulled her into the safety of a huge hug. He was horrified by what he saw, and would absolutely not allow Lisanna to be harmed.

 

Just as Levy exited, she looked back at her guild, frozen with shock and horror. Then she saw Laxus, and looked him directly in the eye. She couldn’t tell exactly what she saw in his expression, but it shook her. Something in his face was there for her, and she was curious to find out what it was. A rough tug from Gajeel reminded her to not linger.

 

The guild doors slammed shut, and Laxus looked around the guild to see shocked faces, some with tears leaking out of their eyes. He turned and immediately went into his office, he needed to keep his word to Lucy. He grabbed his Communication Lacrima, and Mira burst into his office.

 

“Just what happened out there?” She wanted answers, but Laxus had none. His eyebrows were furrowed, and a frown was set in place on his lips.

 

“What Lucy has suspected has been happening for a while now.” Mira gaped at Laxus, as he called the guild’s Celestial Mage on his Lacrima.

 

Lucy’s face appeared in the communication device, and she seemed peeved. “Loke just go back, I need to talk to Laxus.” She was telling off her Lion spirit.

 

“Lucy, I think you were right about Levy and Gajeel.” Laxus said, garnering Lucy’s attention. She covered her mouth with her hand. He nodded solemnly, and Lucy’s eyes filled to the brim with tears.

 

“How do you know?” Lucy was almost too afraid to ask, but she had to know.

 

“We just saw him drag Levy out of the guild with a grip on her upper arm so tight that we could see the bruising.” Mira interjected.

 

“Oh no… What are we going to do for her?” Lucy wanted action, and now. She could not stand to know that her friend was being harmed. Especially by someone who shouldn’t hurt her.

 

“Lucy, we have to wait for Levy to be done with him. If we intervene, it could cause him to get angry with her.” Mira’s voice broke as she explained what had to be done. Lucy deflated and ran a hand through her long, blonde hair.

 

“Okay. Does she know that there are people who’ll keep her safe if she runs from him?” Lucy needed to make sure that Levy had all the safety nets that she needed.

 

“I’ll talk to her when I see her next. If she doesn’t come to the guild tomorrow, I’ll drop off a basket of muffins as an excuse to talk to her.” Mira said sweetly, and Laxus grunted in response.

 

“Good, when you do see her, please tell Levy that she can call me any time.” Lucy sighed as she spoke. She wanted to sweep in during the night and take Levy out of that place. “Thanks for letting me know. Keep her as safe and as loved as you can. It might be best to keep other men away from her though, that could aggrivate Gajeel and make him hurt her more.” The way Laxus’ jaw set made it perfectly clear that he was not okay that last statement. 

 

Lucy hung up the call, and wept into her hands. She imagined that Gajeel was probably yelling and hitting Levy right now, and that made her angrier and sadder than she’d ever felt before. Jura watched, unsure of how to comfort his dear friend. He could temporarily comfort her, but knew that Lucy’s heart would continue to break until her friend was safe. She looked tired, worn and hopeless.

 

“Lucy, is there anything I can do for you?” Jura’s deep voice reached Lucy, and she wiped her tears. She shook her head, and tried to smile at him.

 

“I’ll be okay. I just worry for her, and I know that what she’s going through right now is so much worse than my pain for her.” Lucy got up from her stool at the kitchen island, and adjusted her clothes. “Jura, I’m going to read for a bit.” Lucy said, and she saw just how worried friend and mentor was. “Really, I’ll be okay.”

 

Lucy didn’t have time to worry about herself right now. She wanted to make sure Levy was well cared for, her law studies were coming along well, and that she had enough information on unison raids before attempting one with Loke. She grabbed her book on overturning convictions and flipped the book open to her last spot and began to devour the information. She got so absorbed in what she learned, that she didn’t noticed Jura watching her from the door.

 

Lucy needed to take a break and care for herself, and Jura was worried for her. He saw the bags under her eyes, and he knew the exhaustion that took hold of her body when she summoned her spirits. Jura saw it all, but he knew Lucy was pushing herself for the sake of her friends.

 

“Law?” Jura inquired, accidentally startling Lucy. She nervously set her book down, and slid a bookmark into the crease of the giant volume.

 

“Well, you see… Erza has this friend. He’s kinda in a sticky situation. I want to clear his name so that they can be together.” Lucy fidgeted as she spoke, nervously looking between Jura and the book. Jura, however, was moved by how much Lucy cared for her friends. He sometimes wondered if that care of hers extended to him. 

 

“Lucy, your efforts are admirable. That said, you look exhausted. In order to properly care for your friends, you need to care for yourself.” Jura watched her eyes widen, and hoped Lucy understood. “One cannot pour from an empty cup.” Jura went on, and Lucy nodded and begrudgingly pushed the law book to the other side of the table.

 

“You’re right, but I don’t feel like I have any time to do the things I know I need to do.” Lucy confessed. She looked up at her friend, who did nothing more than look back.

 

“Go shopping, Lucy. Treat yourself to something nice, something that you know will lift your spirits.” Jura just smiled at her, and urged her to go have fun.

 

“Okay, do you need me to get you anything?” Lucy asked, but Jura shook his head. Lucy smiled happily, grabbed her purse and sauntered out the door. Jura watched the whole scene, half amused, half hoping that it would be what Lucy needed.

 

Jura went back into the library and started to pick up the books that seemed to continuously take up space at the coffee table in the middle of the room. Lucy was such an interesting young woman, and Jura thanked the stars that she was the one who’d requested a mentor. It was possible that he’d enjoy training someone else, but he’d quickly figured out the he wasn’t training Lucy, but guiding her. There was something else about Lucy that intrigued Jura, but he could never articulate it to himself, much less to anyone else.

 

❦

 

Levy was curled up in a corner of Gajeel’s house. She had a bruise forming on the right side of her face, and her wrists were sore. Her upper arm throbbed painfully, and she was nauseated. She wanted to be with her books, to be with her friends. She needed Lucy around. She knew this wasn’t right, but it was Gajeel. He had promised not to ever do it again once he had seen the damage he’d done. The moment Levy’s face started bruising, he had looked so guilty.

 

She could run in the night, and find a safe house. That’d only prove her to be a coward, and she’d be laughed at for it. Gajeel would be angry, would end up finding her and punishing her, and Levy didn’t want that either. She had to show him the right way, she had to teach Gajeel right from wrong in this situation. Clearly, Gajeel didn’t know better, this was obviously some sort of mistake on his part. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be.

 

Levy saw his figure enter the room, and had to keep herself from shrinking back from him. He knelt in front of her, and began washing blood off her face. He was so gentile and kind with her, and Levy leaned into his touch.

 

“I made food.” Gajeel’s gravely voice resonated through the empty room. Levy stared for a moment, then regained her composure.

 

“Oh… thank you.” Her voice was soft and restrained, she didn’t want to upset Gajeel. She obediently followed him to the kitchen table and sat down. Levy watched him ferally bite into a large piece of metal while avoiding her gaze. She studied his features, and wondered how many piercings he had, and which ones hurt the most. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, she knew which ones had hurt the most, but she wasn’t counting those. Levy mentally shook herself, and swallowed her last bite of food. She then picked up her plate and the excess food, and brought them into the kitchen to clean.

 

Gajeel watched her go, her little body swaying slightly as she walked. He got up from his seat, and made Gajeel made his way over to his shrimp. He wrapped his arms around her little waist and pulled her into his massive chest. Levy jumped.

 

“Are you afraid of me, Shrimp?” His deep voice ghosted past her left ear, and Levy shook her head. She wouldn’t be afraid of him, she had to be strong to the both of them. She would not run from this man. She could not let him know just how afraid she really was.

 

“You just startled me, is all.” Levy put on her brave face, and smiled at Gajeel. The look on his face told her that fear was wise, and to challenge him at all would be dangerous. The sharp teeth in his grin matched the pain around the wrist that he was holding. His face suddenly returned to being expressionless, and he let go of Levy’s wrist.

 

“I’m going to bed. Come to me when you’re done cleaning.” Levy watched his long, black hair sway as he walked to his room. She just continued cleaning the kitchen, making sure the dishes were clean, put away, the sink was clean, extra food was put into the fridge, and the floors swept. She fished sweeping the bits of dirt and dust into the bin, and brushed her hands together. She looked out at the setting sun, and her cowardly heart wanted to walk out the front door. Levy steeled her heart, and turned and left the kitchen and poked her head into the bedroom.

 

“I’ll be there in a moment, just heading to the bathroom.” Levy’s shaky voice floated through the room, and Gajeel heard her, but said nothing.

 

Levy quickly hurried into the bathroom, locked the door, and sat on the toilette. She pulled her shorts and panties down, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Nothing. No blood, no spotting, nothing. Levy was late, and she was terrified. She wasn’t ready to be a mother, she wasn’t ready to have kids, and she didn’t know if she wanted to have kids with Gajeel. Levy hoped it was just stress that was preventing her period from arriving.

 

She numbly finished her business, washed her hands, and made her way to the bed she shared with Gajeel. She curled up on her side of the bed, and did everything she could to hold herself together. She was grateful when she heard the slight snore the indicated Gajeel’s sleep.

 

What would she do if she really was pregnant? Would she tell Gajeel, keep it a secret until she couldn’t anymore? They’d only been together for five months, they weren’t ready to become parents. She needed to tell someone, the fear was eating at her. She quietly slipped out of bed, and grabbed her light pen off her nightstand. She quickly slipped back into the bathroom.

 

Levy focused hard on the stack of paper Lisanna kept in her living room. She imagined the texture of the paper, the width and length, and the color. Then, Levy started writing. She let her fear pour out onto the paper, and she hoped the message was getting across. Her desire to be done with Gajeel, the potential pregnancy, and how much she missed being free. How she wanted to go on a mission with Jet again, and how much she needed to go shopping with Lisanna and Lucy. Regardless of the rough patch she and Gajeel were going through, the responsibility of a child wasn’t something she was ready for.

 

❦

 

Lucy hummed her way back to her home, she was in an excellent mood. She’d found a gorgeous winter coat for half off, some chic but edgy boots, and she’d bought new underwear. The shopping bags swung from her arms, their goodies swinging along with them. Lucy had also managed to grab a cute halloween costume. As she was shopping, she’d decided to go to the party, especially with everything that had happened with Levy.

 

“I’m home!” Lucy called out into her home, a smile adorning her face. Jura was cooking dinner, and it smelled amazing. Lucy set her bags down on the floor, and immediately started helping with dinner.

 

“You seem well, Lucy. What did you buy?” Jura said, handing her a bowl filled with potatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and just a touch of vinegar.

 

“I’m glad you sent me shopping. I needed it more than I knew. I got a coat, some boots, a Halloween costume, and some much needed necessities.” Lucy smiled up at Jura. He couldn’t help but smile back. “This smell delicious, what is it?”

 

“That is skorthalia, Lucy. It’s a traditional dish from Bosco.” Lucy brought the dish up to her nose an inhaled happily. Lucy set the potato dish on the table, and brought out the plates and silverware. Jura set the food onto the table, and both sat down for dinner.

 

“Jura, I was thinking. Since the situation with Levy and Gajeel has gotten worse, it’d be a good idea for me to go the Halloween party. Would that be okay?” Lucy fidgeted a little while asking this. She hadn’t been able to exercise recently, even though she had doubled down on her meditation and research.

 

“Of course Lucy. I agree that is a wise decision. You don’t need to ask my permission though, you are an adult, and I trust that you are capable of making your own decisions.” Lucy ate while she listened to Jura, and nodded along. He was a funny one sometimes, but Lucy respected him more and more each day.

 

“I’m glad, thank you Jura. I also thought, since I won’t be here for Halloween, we could spend Harvest Festival together. Then go back to our guilds for Christmas.” Lucy trailed off, looking hopeful.

 

“I’d very much enjoy that, Lucy. That way I can also visit Chelia while you’re away.” Lucy looked up from her forkful of potato. She stared at Jura for a few seconds before asking.

 

“Are you and Chelia close?” Lucy had never imagined Jura to have any close relationships with his guild mates, but now that she thought about it, him having friends was not all that far off.

 

“She is my niece, not by blood, but she always calls me ‘uncle’.” Jura said, a soft smile appearing on his face. Lucy couldn’t help but mist over a little, and hurriedly batted her eyes to push the moisture away.

 

“Thats wonderful, Jura. Will you take Coco? I’m sure Chelia will have a field day over how cute she is.” Lucy asked, realizing that she couldn’t take Coco, because she didn’t have a place to stay.

 

“Yes, I will take her. Chelia loves cats, that is an excellent idea, Lucy.” Lucy nodded, and they finished their meal in silence. When the clatter of silverware had died down, Lucy took the dishes off the table,

 

Lucy lay in bed that night, not feeling particularly well. She had a back ache, and hoped that she wasn’t getting sick. That was the last thing she needed, especially with her upcoming trip.

 

Morning arrived, and Lucy slept in for the first time since she’d left Magnolia. Jura noticed her absence this morning, and wondered whether she’d slept poorly the night before. When Lucy stumbled out of her room an hour later than usual, she headed straight for the bathroom. Her hair was in disarray, and she seemed to be in pain.

 

“Lucy?” He called out tentatively. A low groan came from the bathroom, and a few moments later, Lucy emerged.

 

“Do we have any painkillers?” Lucy asked, groggily.

 

“Lucy?” Jura questioned again, and Lucy gave in.

 

“Okay I have cramps from hell.” Her voice seemed to melt as she spoke. Jura immediately felt badly, and gave Lucy the location of the pills he kept in case of emergencies like this. She returned a few moments later, grumpy and still in her pajamas. She searched the room for her Communication Lacrima, and once she located it, she called Laxus.

 

“Hi, it’s me.” Lucy said casually, and Jura raised his eyebrows.

 

“Hi Lucy.” Laxus was busy with paperwork, and only spared a glance up at Lucy when she had called. He quickly went back to work.

 

“So, I’m coming to the halloween party. That said, I don’t have a place to stay. Do you know if there’s a cheap hotel in town?” Lucy adjusted herself on the emerald chair that was usually reserved for Jura.

 

“That’s good news, you can stay at my place if you need to. I’d suggest Lisanna, but Bix is coming back soon, and I don’t think you’d want to hear them going at it all day and night.” Laxus looked up, to see a smirk etched upon Lucy’s face.

 

“So, they’re together?” Lucy inquired, amusement still dancing in her eyes. It was quickly replaced by pain as her cramps intensified for roughly 30 seconds.

 

“Yeah, apparently they kissed in front of the whole guild.” Laxus was back to being bored by paperwork, but Lucy was beyond excited for the youngest Strauss.

 

“Well thanks Laxus, I’ll be there from Monday to Friday.” Lucy’s cramps were hell this month, and she wanted to visit a doctor about it. This couldn’t continue.

 

“Bye Lucy.” Laxus flickered out of view, and Lucy leaned back into the chair.

 

“I know why you always sit here, Jura. It’s so comfortable.” Jura chuckled and handed Lucy a book that he knew she’d find helpful. The two read in silence for the better part of the morning.

 

❦

 

The knocking noise was the most irritating noise Lisanna had ever heard. It was coming from her door, and she wished it’d stop so she could keep sleeping. She then heard her name being called by the sexy voice she knew and that she had missed. She tumbled out of bed roughly, and tripped her way out of her bedroom and to the front door.

 

Lisanna wrenched it open to find Bixlow in non-battle clothing. She fell into his chest and wrapped her arms around his body. He was warm and real against her fingertips, and Lisanna nuzzled into his neck. She felt his arms around her, and a pulse went through her body at the feel of his large hands holding her close.

 

Lisanna tilted her head up to look into Bixlow’s red eyes, and felt herself drawing closer to him, to his lips. She wanted nothing more than to rub her nose against his, so she did. This turned out to be too much for Bixlow, because he pulled Lisanna in for a deep kiss. She grabbed the front of his shirt with one hand, and brought her other hand around Bixlow’s neck to pull him in closer. She felt his tongue dance across her lips, and Lisanna answered with her own, tentatively rubbing her tongue along his. A light whimpering moan came from Lisanna, and Bixlow started running his hand along her thigh.

 

It had to end at some point, both mages needed to breath to survive. When they broke a part, Lisanna made happy giggling noises, and Bixlow stuck his tongue out at her.

 

“What do you have planned for the day?” Lisanna asked, nuzzling into Bixlow’s neck again, and whispering into his ear.

 

“Today, I’m all yours baby.” Bixlow grinned widely, and Lisanna made more happy giggles before taking him by the hand and leading him into her own apartment.

 

“Well, I have to get ready and shower, but lets spend the day together, okay?” Lisanna was going a mile a minute, but couldn’t help herself. Bixlow was back. He was home, and Lisanna couldn’t help but want to run her hands over his chest and down his abdomen. She made tea for Bixlow, and headed for her shower. She’d make this one quick. Ten minutes later, Lisanna was toweling her hair, shimmying into her room, and getting dressed.

 

Her pretty maxi skirt would flow well in the autumn breeze, and the long-sleeve purple shirt would keep her warm. Lisanna decided on her clothes this way, and quickly pulled them on over her underwear. She practically skipped out of her bedroom, to find Bixlow staring at a piece of paper.

 

“Lis, look at this.” He said, and she went to his side to read the note. It was obviously written by Levy. No one else but Freed could write quick notes without actually being near the paper.

 

“Oh god no.” Lisanna covered her mouth with her slim hand.

 

_“Lis, I think I’m pregnant. I can’t do this with Gajeel anymore, call Lucy please. I’m scared, and it’s like I’m in prison. - Levy”_

 

“We should probably call Lucy.” Bixlow nudged Lisanna a little, she seemed to be in a daze. He gently brushed his lips against her cheek, and that seemed to do the trick.

 

They were in luck that Lucy had brought her Communication Lacrima with her on the bi weekly grocery errand. Lucy was walking down a path when she answered, and she looked worried.

 

“Lis, what’s wrong?” Lucy asked, but Lisanna still was too shocked to speak. She muttered ‘This is so bad.’ a few times before Bixlow took over.

 

“Levy left Lisanna a message in the night, it seems.” Bixlow spoke, as he held Lisanna in close. Lucy watched him rub Lisanna’s back and shoulders affectionately, and felt a warm glow in her heart. Bixlow comforted Lisanna before turning his attention to the Lacrima.

 

“I found this message from Levy.” Bixlow grimaced, but held up the note so that Lucy could see. Her face went pale, and she nodded. Lucy needed to take deep, soothing breaths for a minute or so.

 

“Okay, I’ve already made plans to come for the Halloween party. We’ll sneak her out when I get there. This can’t go on.” Lucy kept herself as calm as she could.

 

“Lucy, everything’s going to be okay, right?” Lisanna asked, her face wrinkling with her expression of concern. Lucy saw Bixlow’s thumb massaging Lisanna’s arm through the Lacrima and smiled.

 

“Yeah, it’ll be okay. Levy will need you though.” Lucy kept herself composed, but inside she felt a raging storm of fury. She wanted to hurt Gajeel for how he treated Levy, but Lucy knew that wouldn’t help Levy, nor would it teach Gajeel a lesson on how to treat people.

 

“Well, we’ll be going.” Lucy registered somewhere in her mind that Bixlow and Lisanna had hung up the Communication Lacrima call, and that she was now just staring at an empty orb. Lucy didn’t fully come back to herself when she heard her name being called.

 

“Lucy, I need your help.” Jura’s voice was floating in from the bathroom. Lucy poked her head out of the library and saw the bathroom door open, and Jura fiddling with something over the sink.

 

“Whats wrong?” Lucy asked, but when she entered the bathroom, she saw a comb terribly tangled in Jura’s beard. “Just how…”

 

“Please help me get this out of my beard.” Jura seemed slightly agitated, and Lucy giggled for a moment before reaching up into his beard. She’d only touched it once before, and Lucy had forgotten how soft it was. She gently pulled the comb from his tangle, and Jura flinched a little. Lucy mumbled a sorry, and continued pulling each strand of hair from the offending knot. Every now and then Jura would make faces, but Lucy kept on detangling.

 

“Okay, I think I’ve gotten it out.” Lucy said, as she lowered herself off of her tiptoes with a sigh. Jura took the comb through his beard, and Lucy waited with slight anticipation. There were no tangles in the beard, and Lucy counted this as a win.

 

“Thank you, Lucy. What are you planning to do today?” Jura ran his hand over his beard fondly, and followed Lucy into the kitchen.

 

“Well, I’m going to train with Loke today. I want to get started on the unison raids.” Lucy started the kettle , and Jura had brought out mugs and tea. A thoughtful smile graced Lucy’s lips for a moment; she and Jura had a routine set that worked, and Lucy was glad that she didn’t have that sort of conflict with Jura.

 

“This pleases me greatly, Lucy. You should know, however, that your painkillers will fade away in about four hours.” Jura said, placing the tea bag in Lucy’s mug. He watched Lucy place the spices in his mug. Making each other’s tea had become a habit ever since Lucy had made her own chai for Jura.

 

The pot boiled, and the two enjoyed their tea before Lucy and Loke began destroying parts of the woods. Jura grimaced while sipping his tea. He didn’t want the forest to be destroyed, it was home to many different creatures.

 

“Lucy,” Jura started, and she looked up from her tea. “Where do you plan on training? There are certain places I’d prefer you avoid, I don’t want the forest animals to lose their habitat.” Lucy gaped at him, making a soft “ah” noise.

 

“Maybe you could form a sort of target for me to use?”Lucy let her head fall to one side just a little bit, and watched Jura’s reaction. Some days, it felt normal for Lucy to be living with the Wizard Saint, other days, Lucy still couldn’t believe that she had left her guild all those months ago. Today was the latter for Lucy as she watched Jura smile slightly.

 

“Yes, I believe that would work.” Lucy watched Jura stroke his beard, and fantasized about the silkiness of it.

 

❦

 

Lucy and Loke sat out in the woods meditating while holding hands. Magic was flowing between the two, and the woods were bathed in a gold light. To an outsider, the two looked otherworldly, even though Loke was the immortal one. Lucy cracked an eye open and looked at Loke.

 

“It’s time to try again, Lucy.” Loke didn’t have to open his eyes to know Lucy was looking. They had been working towards a unison raid for a few days, meditating between attempts to regain magic and create a stronger connection between them. They could combine Loke’s magic with Urano Meteria, but the spell wouldn’t land.

 

Lucy nodded and began channeling her spell, and Loke simultaneously began channeling his magic into Lucy’s body. Both of them were chanting the spell in harmony.

 

_“_ _Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens..._

_All the stars, far and wide..._

_Show me thy appearance..._

_With such shine._

_Oh Tetrabiblos..._

_I am the ruler of the stars..._

_Aspect become complete..._

_Open thy malevolent gate._

_Oh 88 Stars of the heaven..._

_Shine!_

_Urano Metria!”_

 

For a moment, nothing happened and Lucy’s shoulders slumped. Then a narrow column of light descended and hit the target that Jura had built. An audible snapping noise could be heard, and a crack formed right down the center of the target. Loke stared, aghast at what his magic could do when combined with Lucy’s abilities and power. 

 

“Loke… did we just?” Lucy trailed off. 

 

“Yeah.” His voice sounded light and wispy, his eyes were wide.”I need to go tell the spirit king.” Loke’s eyes were still very wide, and he puffed away in a cloud of gold glitter. Once Loke had completely disappeared, Lucy began to sprint home. 

 

Jura sighed in his room, packing clothes and preparing a cat carrier for Coco. Lucy would be back soon, and he fully expected a disappointed blonde. She was very hard on herself, and expected to get everything right the first try. She was a very capable mage, and he knew that Lucy would keep working towards her goal until she achieved it. 

 

The door slammed, and Jura braced himself for near tears from her. He was, however, surprised to see a breathless but proud Lucy standing in the kitchen chugging water. 

 

“We did it,” Lucy panted, wiping water from her mouth. “It was a small beam, but it cracked the target you made for us.” A satisfied smile graced Lucy’s face. Jura found himself smiling proudly back. 

 

“That is wonderful. I look forward to seeing your progress.” Lucy beamed when she saw the twinkle in Jura’s eyes. It was times like these that Lucy hoped would last forever, but knew better than to let herself believe they would.

 

“Thank you, Jura. I’m going to shower, then pack. We’ll take the 3 o’clock train if thats okay.” Lucy was already crossing the kitchen into the hallway towards the bathroom. She heard Jura say “Thats fine.” and slipped into the bathroom, pulling her shirt over her head before she’d even closed the door. The shower was waiting for her, and Coco was sitting at the edge of the shower curtain. 

 

Lucy groaned, and picked the kitten up by the armpits and went to the door. She opened it, and set the squirming fur down on the floor. Coco hissed at Lucy and scurried off to wind around Jura’s ankles. Lucy was finally able to take her much deserved, and very hot shower. Midway through her shower, she heard Jura grumbling and fumbling in the hallway right outside the bathroom. Something about troublemaking kittens and tripping. Lucy giggled. 

 

Fifteen minutes later, Lucy was relishing in the hot water cascading over her body. She knew it was time to leave, but the warmth felt so good on her sore muscles. Begrudgingly, Lucy reached over and turned the faucet that would stop the warm flow of water, and reached for a towel. She quickly whipped her hair up into the absorbent cloth and reached for the second towel to wrap around her body. 

 

Lucy massaged lotion into her face and body, and peeked through the bathroom door. She looked into the kitchen, Jura wasn’t there. His bedroom door was closed, which meant he was either packing, or in the library. Lucy took the chance, and skirted out of the bathroom and bolted into her room hoping Jura hadn’t seen. She did a little victory dance when she closed her bedroom door. 

 

Jura had been reading in the library, minding his own business when he heard a slight giggle and looked up to see Lucy darting into her room in nothing but a towel. He then heard more giggles after Lucy’s door had been closed. Jura continued to stare at the door in shock. He was going to have a long train ride today indeed. 

 

Jura was still staring when Lucy popped out of her room, suitcase in hand, smiling brightly. 

 

❦

 

The carriage ride to the train station was relatively quiet, the only noises were the few conversations between the two passengers, and the subtle mewing of Coco. It turns out that the little kitten didn’t like traveling much, and was drooling a little in her crate.

 

“Jura, she’s so unhappy in there.” Lucy protested, after she saw her cat throw up in a corner of her crate.

 

“I know Lucy, but the driver told me that she could not be set loose.” Jura sighed, but had every intention of following the rule. That was until he saw Lucy silently unlocking the pet carrier, and hoisting a grateful kitten out of it. He almost scolded her, but then Coco started purring and he knew that it was fine.

 

“It’ll be okay, Jura. She’s a good kitten, and is so much happier out of that cage.” Lucy threw a scathing look at the box on the floor. Jura just shook his head a little, but agreed nonetheless.

 

“Oh Lucy, if you forget your clothes when you shower, you can always request privacy for your walk to your room.” Jura said, and watched Lucy freeze and her eyes go wide.

 

“You saw that?” She was mortified, and covered her face with her hands. Jura faintly heard her mumble “oh dear god…” between her fingers. He didn’t understand why Lucy seemed so embarrassed.

 

“I didn’t think too much of it, Lucy. I was a little surprised at first, but it’s normal to forget things.” Jura gently reminded Lucy, hoping to calm her anxieties. He didn’t want Lucy to feel unwelcome in their home.

 

“But it’s your house, Jura. I can’t just-“ But Jura cut her off, and Lucy stared at him with wide eyes. Had she made him angry? His eyebrows were furrowed, and he looked displeased by something.

 

“Lucy, it may be my house, but it is our home. I don’t want you feeling like you can’t go about your normal routine at home.” Jura was’t angry, he was concerned.

 

“Our home?” Lucy repeated, quietly. Jura nodded slowly, confirming Lucy’s statement. “Oh, I thought you were just allowing me to stay at your place until…” Lucy trailed off, realizing that she had no idea when she’d be satisfied with her progress. She had no idea what “done” was in terms of training.

 

“Well, I thought so too. It was in the beginning and we were just getting to know one another. Now I see that we make very good roommates, and I enjoy living with you.” Jura sat back into the cushion of the carriage and smiled at Lucy. He then opened up the paper and started reading. Coco jumped off Lucy’s lap and into Jura’s, and started biting the bottom of his paper. Jura gave her a stern look, but Coco just stared right back for a few momnets before taking a huge chunk out of the paper.

 

Lucy was in gales of laughter at their kitten’s behavior, and realized it was good to have a creature around that would challenge Jura’s seriousness. She thought about his personality, and how serious but kind he was. He was, of course, right; they did make good roommates and friends. Lucy felt comfortable with him, they could talk about difficult subjects without fighting, and he had been very supportive of her when she had rescued Freed and Ever. 

 

The carriage ride ended without much more talking, and Lucy consolidated her things. Jura folded his paper, and Lucy watched as he bent over to get Coco’s crate. The little cat hissed at him, and Jura froze, staring at the animal who had been quite comfortably curled up in his lap. Lucy tried not to giggle when Coco jumped onto Jura’s shoulders, and dug her claws into him. Jura flinched, but didn’t attempt to remove Coco from his shoulders. He stood from the carriage, gathered this belongings, and excited the wheeled contraption.

 

“Ok, lets hope that the station isn’t too crowded. Either way, lets stick close together.” Lucy said while paying the carriage driver.

 

The train station was relatively quiet, and they purchased the train tickets to Magnolia and Hargeon. It didn’t take long for the train to arrive, and the odd trio boarded and quickly found an empty compartment. Coco still clung to Jura’s shoulders; her claws were still embedded into his skin, so when they reached their compartment, Lucy coaxed her down.

 

Jura sighed as the claws were removed from his shoulders; Lucy scrunched her nose, and began rummaging around in her purse. A few seconds later, she pulled out an alcohol swipe and a few bandaids.

 

“Turn around for a second, I’ve got to clean the scratches.” Lucy motioned to Jura, and he grimaced.

 

“You know, I will see Chelia in a few hours.” Jura tried to protest, but Lucy wouldn’t have any of it.

 

“And I am very sure she will be glad that your cuts have been cleaned. Cats have all sorts of bacteria in their claws.” Lucy gave Jura a very stern look, and he gave in. This allowed Lucy to have access to the puncture wounds and scratch marks on his shoulders. Jura was a good patient though, and Lucy made sure to be quick with the alcohol pad before she put a few bandaids on the worst of them.

 

Lucy internally groaned as she gently replaced Jura’s clothes over his massive shoulders. He had her one weakness when it came to men; muscles, and well defined ones, too. Lucy wasn’t necessarily attracted to Jura, but she couldn’t deny that he was a well built man. She tucked away those thoughts as she went back to her seat.

 

“Thank you, Lucy.” Jura sounded almost terse, but the smile that accompanied his thanks made up for it.

 

Several hours later, Lucy hugged both Jura and Coco tightly. The little kitten protested slightly, but Lucy let go before it could become another scratching shitstorm. The train had finally screeched to a stop, and Lucy gratefully felt her feet land on the platform. She was back in Magnolia; the place she used to call home, and she was excited to see what Laxus’ house looked like. He had given her directions over Communication Lacrima, but she had never been to his place before.

 

She made her way down the streets, enjoying the crisp autumn air. That was until she heard screams of pleasure coming from one of the apartment buildings. Lucy’s mouth dropped open, a mixture of horror and hilarity. She hurried down the street, hoping to not accidentally find out who was having the loud sex. Luck was not on her side this day.

 

“Yes… YES, Bix right there!” Lucy stood stark still, shaking her head. She recuperated for a moment before hurrying down the street, following Laxus’ directions. She paused for a moment to adjust her bags, but continued shortly afterwards. A few short minutes later, she arrived at a more modern house with a clean and sleek front door. She knew this was his place, and knocked sharply on the door.

 

Laxus arrived shortly afterwards, looking slightly grumpy. His face brightened to his normal glower when he saw Lucy though, and he ushered her into the house. Lucy was about to say hello when she heard footsteps coming towards the two of them.

 

“- I swear Laxus, if you just told her she’d leave him. I promise-“ Mira stopped when she saw Lucy, and launched herself at the smaller blonde.

 

“Lucy! You’re here, why?” Mira was beyond happy, her face turning a healthy shade of pink.

 

“Hi Mira, I’m here to surprise the guild.” Lucy smiled, and hugged the slightly terrifying takeover mage back. Their small talk continued until Laxus’ eyes rolled so hard he could see the back of his head.

 

“Thank you for stopping by and giving me advice, Mira. Bye now.” Laxus said shortly, and ushered her out the door. “I’m sorry about that, Lucy.” Laxus expected Lucy to be accepting and say something along the lines of ‘oh don’t worry about it.’ , but Laxus was very, very wrong. Lucy was already sitting at his kitchen table, eyes alight and a grin adorning her face.

 

“So, what was _that_ conversation about, Laxus?” Lucy ignored the look Laxus gave her, and instead patted the table in front of her, motioning for Laxus to sit. He saw the look on her face, and decided that the path of least resistance was honesty. He grumbled, but sat nonetheless.

 

“Mira was trying to convince me to… tell Levy what I think of her.” Laxus worded his sentence very carefully, very sure that anything other than the most subtle hint would spread the worst rumors, somehow.

 

“I see, so you have a thing for Levy. I’m glad we’re talking about her. Lisanna and I are on a reconnaissance mission tomorrow morning. We’re taking her away from Gajeel.” Lucy watched as Laxus’ face contorted into something nasty at the other slayer’s name. That told Lucy all she needed to know. “Ah ha! It’s more than just a thing for her.” Lucy felt triumphant in her discovery, but Laxus “shushed” her.

 

“Fine, yes.” His glare was due to frustration at being found out. “She’s my mate. I’m not going to mess with the fuckery that is her relationship with Gajeel. I’m not going to be the patriarchal fuck that comes into a situation trying to decide her life for her.” Lucy leaned back in her chair at this statement. Laxus was, of course, right. The issue was that he didn’t know of Levy’s cry for help that she left for Lisanna.

 

“She’s had a change of heart.” Lucy had decided to tell Laxus what she could. “She left Lisanna a message the other night. We’re rescuing her in the morning.” Lucy decided to be brief, but knew that telling Laxus would also make the rescue easier to pull off.

 

“So thats why you’re here.” Laxus’ eyes sparked with electricity and a rough smile adorned his face. “That is excellent, Lucy. Let me know if you need help.” Lucy thought for a moment before accepting the idea in her mind.

 

“Okay, here’s the plan. I’m going to station Jet upwind of their house so that Gajeel can’t smell him as well. Once he and Levy leave, Jet is gonna snatch her and meet me at the rendezvous point. We’re then going to take her to the doctor to make sure she doesn’t have any serious injuries. I know Gajeel is going to try to follow us, thats why Lisanna is going to take her, and I’m going to prevent him from following.” Laxus’ eyebrows were raised, and he nodded along with Lucy’s plan.

 

“You’re nuts, but the plan might work.” Laxus leaned back in his chair and thought for a few moments. “What if he gets past you, Lucy? If you fight him and lose, then that leaves Lisanna to fend off a rampaging slayer.”

 

“Then we’re fucked…” Lucy swore. “It’d be nice to have you there to make sure that didn’t happen, but you did just say that you were staying out of their relationship… but this isn’t really that.”She looked up at Laxus with eyes that hoped she had an ally in him as her words trailed off. Lucy watched Laxus lean back in his chair and grin.

 

“Gajeel is no match for me, Blondie. I won’t get involved unless you lose; this is your mission.” Laxus said, and though Lucy knew he’d stick to his word, she also saw a desire in Laxus’ eyes. It was wild and untamable; something beyond human, and Lucy quickly realized it was the same glint that Natsu got before a fight. He was prepared to defend Levy and the rest of the guild if need be.

 

“Thanks Laxus.” Lucy smiled at him, and began to feel the familiar pang of hunger. “Do you want help making dinner tonight, or…” she trailed off, hoping that she wasn’t too much trouble.

 

“Nah, there’s this bistro that I know in a corner of town, we’ll go there tonight.” Laxus stood as he spoke, and motioned for Lucy to follow.

 

They spent the evening in the restaurant, discussing events in the guild. Lucy found that Laxus was more talkative when he wasn’t in the guild, and didn’t have an image to uphold. She also learned that Freed and Mira were together, and had been since Fantasia. Lucy spit out her wine a little when she heard this.

 

“You’re shitting me!” Lucy hissed across the table, and Laxus snorted in response.

 

“Oh yeah, apparently they went home after the whole ordeal and didn’t leave the-“ Laxus started explaining, but Lucy cut him off.

 

“Good God Laxus. I don’t need to know that, of course it can’t be as bad as what I heard on my way to your house.” Laxus raised an eyebrow, and ushered Lucy to continue. She leaned into the conversation a bit, and smirked. “Yeah, apparently the route to your house from the station passes by Lisanna’s apartment. Bixlow was… visiting.” Lucy trailed off, a wild grin on her face. She was so glad that those two seemed to have begun the process of pairing off.Lucy paused, and decided to go forward with her question. “What about Natsu, has he found anyone?”

 

Laxus stared at Lucy, debating on telling her that Natsu was single. That wasn’t the whole truth, though, and he didn’t feel comfortable telling a partial truth to Lucy. “Honestly, I’m not sure. Gramps sent him away on a mission about a week after you left. It’s with Sabertooth, so it could be with just the guys…”

 

“But you have a hunch it’s not that.” Lucy finished his sentence, and Laxus nodded. Lucy thought about it for a moment, there was a sort of anxious feeling in her chest. She mentally poked at it, and realized that it wasn’t about Natsu. She’d investigate her own emotions further at another time. “I hope he finds someone, it’ll be good to feel like I don’t have to emotionally carry him on my back.”

 

Laxus watched Lucy’s lips move, heard the words from her mouth, and internally smiled at this. She had grown since he saw her last, and this new Lucy was more sure of herself.

 

“Well, I’m glad that won’t be an issue for you.” Laxus studied Lucy’s face once more, and no sign of pain was in her expression.

 

“Now…” Lucy stared, whilst leaning in conspiratorially. “I’ll need to go to Jet’s place and tell him about the plan. Of course, I can’t be leaving a trail of my scent around the town. May I shower using your soap?” Lucy knew he might say no, and that she was open to leaving a paper trail of sorts if he did. But Laxus nodded, and a look of pride flashed through his eyes.

 

The check came shortly, and though Laxus tried to pay for the whole thing, Lucy had given him a stare that rivaled Mira’s Satan Soul: Sitri in power. The pair left the restaurant, and headed back to Laxus’ home.

 

When they arrived, Laxus showed her to the shower, and which products he used in his daily routine. His body gel, shampoo and to Lucy’s surprise, conditioner were all similarly scented. Each had their own unique undertones that harmonized with the main scent.

 

“These smell really good.” Lucy noted, and Laxus all but rolled his eyes. “Right, well I better get showering before I go to Jet’s house.” Lucy finished, airily.

 

“Lucy, do you know where Jet lives?” Laxus asked slowly, and when Lucy shook her head, he burst out laughing. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you when you’re done showering.” And with that, Laxus left the room. Lucy went about her normal routine, except she used Laxus’ products. When she finished rinsing everything off her body, she stepped out of the shower to a set of towels, and clothes from the spirit world.

 

Lucy appeared after 15 minutes, smelling very much like Laxus, and the blonde man scrunched up his face when he smelled it.

 

“God, this is bizarre.” Laxus inhaled through his nose once again, and realized that Lucy only smelled like him on a superficial level, and if Gajeel really tried, he’d know that it was a fake scent. Lucy would need to wear something of his, and as much as he hated to part with it, he’d lend her his big fur lined coat.

 

“What is it?” Lucy was completely perplexed, and Laxus’ less than pleased face did nothing to calm her slight nerves. It took a few more moments of Laxus staring at Lucy until he wordlessly grabbed his coat and flung it over her shoulders. She watched Laxus take a deep breath in through his nose, and then nod.

 

“Your scent smelled fake. The coat has the parts of my scent that cannot be duplicated.” Laxus explained, and Lucy nodded. Her eyes then tracked the way across the floor and towards Laxus’ front door. His eyes followed the trail, and he put one of his large hands on Lucy’s shoulder.

 

“Thank you Laxus. I have to go do this thing.” Lucy looked up into Laxus’ eyes andhe gave her a nod of confirmation.

 

“Okay, you’re going to take a left from my place, and go ’till the road splits. Then, you’ll take the right branch, and the 2nd right is Jet’s place. The number is 249.” Laxus explained, and Lucy memorized the turns she’d need to take.

 

“Left, right, 2nd right.” Lucy repeated after Laxus was finished, and with a final ‘Yeah.’ from the slayer, Lucy took off.

 

❦

 

It was quite dark out on the street, and Lucy kept her ears and eyes peeled for anything suspicious or dangerous. Her nerves were strung very high, and she hoped that this would work. Every gust of wind that rattled the dead leaves on the cobble street startled her. Lucy eventually split to the right side of the street, and was looking across the street, hoping that she alone on the street. This was not the case, as Lucy walked directly into someone.

 

“Shit!” Lucy’s eyes went wide as she saw an orange pony tail. “Jet, is that you?” She asked cautiously.

 

“Lucy? What are you doing here?” To say that Jet was shocked would be the understatement of the year.

 

“I need to talk to you, but in private. It’s serious.” Lucy whispered, and Jet nodded in understanding.

 

“Gotcha, follow me.” Jet motioned for Lucy to follow, and she did.

 

Jet’s small house was rustic, but not messy. Lucy could tell he spent most of his time there, but that he wasn’t a slob. His kitchen table was very worn, with several potted plants set to one side. They were well watered and seemed to be flourishing, and Lucy recognized an orchid plant, an eternity, and a spider plant on the table. Jet started water for tea, and set down two mugs with teabags in them.

 

“So, what can I do for you Lucy?” He asked politely, and Lucy stopped scrutinizing his plants to look directly at him.

 

“We’re getting her back.” Lucy said with determination, and fire in her eyes. “Tomorrow morning, when they leave their place, you will use your magic to grab her. We’ll meet at the corner of maple and church st, and you and Lisanna will take her to the doctor.”

 

Jet’s mouth was hanging open, and the water was boiling. He managed to close his mouth and pour the tea in silence while Lucy took a seat at his kitchen table. Jet set her mug of tea down in front of her, and smiled at Lucy across the table.

 

“Okay. But what if Gajeel follows us? What if we can’t hold him off? What if she doesn’t want to leave?” Jet asked, talking almost as fast as he ran.

 

“She wants to leave, and I can handle Gajeel.” Lucy was completely sure about half of her sentence. Levy needed out, and she knew it, but Lucy wasn’t sure she could handle Gajeel. She would, however, give everything she had for the sake of her best friend. Lucy took a deep sip of her tea, and smiled. “Lavender and cinnamon?”

 

“Why, yes.” Jet seemed surprised, but quickly regained his composure. “And you’re sure about this?” He saw Lucy nod fervently, and realized that he couldn’t say no to this. Part of him hated the fact that he had to forcibly remove Levy from the situation, but that was just what needed to be done. “Okay, I’m in. What time?”

 

“7:30 sharp. Also, be sure to know where the wind is coming from, that way Gajeel can’t smell you in advance.” Jet nodded, and Lucy gently sipped the last of her tea. “Jet, I have to get going, but I’ll be at the guild all week. I’ll see you later.” Jet watched Lucy go, and leaned back in his chair. He wouldn’t let himself fully believe that they’d be collecting Levy in the morning, but decided to go through the motions anyway.

 

Lucy hurried down the street, her next stop was Lisanna’s house. She quickly ran past Laxus’ house, and waved as she realized he was sitting out on his front porch. Laxus raised his eyebrows at her, but waved back none the less. The buildings were flashing by as Lucy started to run through the streets. She wanted to see Lisanna and tell her about the plan. This was a joyous trip for Lucy, and she made it in very little time. She took the stairs two at a time, and banged loudly on Lisanna’s door.

 

Lucy heard unhappy groans on the other side of the door, but she didn’t care. She would get to see Lisanna in a few short moments, and if what she had heard earlier in the day was correct, she’d also be seeing Bixlow.


	8. 8

 

Hi all! Well I’m back. I’m gonna give a heads up to people reading this, that the chapter is going to be very real and raw. Keep that in mind when going into it, but I do hope you all enjoy this unfortunately late update. ALSO, I was using a character to space out the jumps between people and situations, and I just realized that they don’t show up when publish! Eek! I’ve fixed the problem in this chapter.

 

 

Chapter 8:

 

Lucy and Jet walked the backroads to Gajeel’s house, careful to do their best to leave their scent on the path that they’d take to the guild. Lucy had woken both Jet and Laxus at the crack of dawn to go over the plan. Jet was eager and willing to hear Lucy out, but Laxus had to be bribed with espresso. Lucy explained to Laxus where he needed to be, and he nodded and grunted in agreement. He was most certainly not a morning person.

 

Jet, on the other hand, was an active participant in the set up. His eyes did get wide when Plu opened his own gate and popped out onto the table. He pun-punned, and gave Lucy a wonderful idea.

 

“That little guy would be the perfect scout for us.”Jet said, stealing Lucy’s idea while gently petting Plu’s head. Lucy nodded, Laxus grunted, and Plu shook a little bit.

 

Ten minutes later, all three set out to their respective spots. Jet and Lucy split off from Laxus, and he noted with slight amusement that Lucy still smelled heavily like him. That it would confuse Gajeel, and that it turn would hopefully give Jet enough time to be out of the range of the Iron Slayer’s wrath.

 

Plu was indeed a perfect scout, his wobbliness somehow didn’t affect his ability to be unseen by passers by. They continued to walk carefully on the path that Laxus had told them about, and were making good time. Soon the telltale signs of Gajeel’s house came into view. Metal scraps were everywhere, and the place was unkempt.

 

Lucy tested the wind direction one last time, and silently pointed Jet to the left side of the house. He crept down the narrow back alley, and Lucy followed stealthily. Her little Plu dashed to the other side of the road and hid behind a crate, out of view of Gajeel’s front door, but perfectly in view of the Fairy Tail duo.

 

Several tense minutes went by, and Lucy and Jet held their breaths every time a slight noise came from the house. Jet stood stalk still, every muscle tense; his magic ready to burst forth when Plu gave him the signal that the door had opened and that they were exiting the house. Lucy took a slow, calming breath. She knew she only had one shot at this, and the what ifs were making her anxious and shaky.

 

Lucy felt Jet’s magic expand and Plu’s little paws wave around like mad before Jet had taken off. It took Gajeel about a second and a half to realize that Levy was gone, and by that time it was too late to grab Jet by the arm. Gajeel sniffed the air for the 2nd interloper and smelled Laxus’ scent mixed with something vaguely familiar. By the time that Lucy silently summoned Virgo and Capricorn, who immediately grabbed Gajeel by both arms, Levy and Jet were long gone. Lucy pulled out her whip and cracked it in the air, making sure he knew who his enemy was.

 

Levy was stunned. Something had grabbed her and flown her away from Gajeel. It took her very little time to recognize a large goatman in a suit, and a maid with pink hair. Levy realized what was happening, and slowly looked at the person carrying her. Jet was holding her, taking her away from hell, and she tenderly squeezed his shoulders in thanks.

 

Lucy deftly dodged a metal arm thrown her way, and wrapped her whip around it, using the momentum to fling herself behind Gajeel. He whirled around, trying to get another attack in, but was punched with an earth coated fist on one side, and a pale white one on the other side. He staggered for a moment, but adjusted his jaw with a rough hand, while simultaneous changing his other hand into a saw. Lucy cried out as it hit Capricorn in the side, and he faded away into gold dust, a grimace firmly planted on his face.

 

“Heh, he’s not made of much, is he?” Gajeel taunted Lucy. He glowered at her, he revved his handsaw. She was, however, determined not to break. Gajeel tried again, revving his handsaw, and it was in this moment that Lucy had Virgo bind his feet to the ground. Gajeel snarled at this, and was trying to claw the tightly clamped earth away from his ankles.

 

“Keep the pressure on, Virgo.” Lucy said, not letting her voice shake. Her spirit nodded and continued to apply packed earth onto Gajeel’s ankles. He, in turn, kept on snarling and ripping the earth off his feet. Lucy saw this was a battle she would not win in the war, and force closed Virgo’s gate just in time for one of his feet to break free and attempt to kick her.

 

Lucy backed away slowly, but Gajeel surged forward and landed a hit on Lucy’s stomach. She swayed for a moment, but quickly dodged the next swing aimed her way.

 

Taurus was next, and knew not to hold back. He kept on swinging relentlessly at Gajeel, who started dodging the intense swings that Lucy’s spirit doled out. She knew it was a risk to have Taurus fight Gajeel, because if he got ahold of Taurus’ axe, he could absorb the spirit metal and gain significant power. Lucy wasn’t taking any chances when it came to Levy’s safety, and proceeded with her plan.

 

Taurus had successfully backed Gajeel into a corner of sorts; if he wanted to get out of the unfavorable dynamic, he’d either have to face Lucy directly, or turn his back to Taurus. He decided to something else entirely, and try to catch Lucy off guard. He leapt into the air, and landed hard.

 

Lucy heard a crunch and almost blacked out due to the pain. Gajeel’s fist had collided with her neck, and Lucy was sure he’d broken her right collarbone. He stepped back, triumphantly, preparing for another blow to Lucy’s body. Her mind reeled for a moment, and then next moment Gajeel was coming at her. She dodged quickly and grabbed Loke’s key.

 

Her faithful lion stepped from the gold light that always accompanied him. He looked at Lucy, her left arm trying to straighten out her shoulder and her eyes glazing over with tears of pain.

 

“What are you gonna do, throw sparkles at me?” Gajeel was back at taunting, and Loke was getting angry. Lucy grabbed his black blazer and tugged as hard as she could. She was feeling nauseous from the pain, and wanted this to be over.

 

“Now Loke.” Lucy’s voice was almost a growl. She was pissed. Pissed that Gajeel had gotten away with hurting Levy, pissed that this was taking so long, and pissed at herself for letting Gajeel get a hit on her.

 

Loke stared at his dear Lucy, and wondered if her body could handle it. What if his agreeing to perform the spell hurt Lucy more. He couldn’t be part of it, letting Lucy knowingly hurt herself was something that went against his sense of right and wrong. Then Gajeel growled at Lucy, and began advancing on her again. This wasn’t about what was best for Lucy, Loke realized in a split second that this was about survival.

 

Lucy took Loke’s hand, and he squeezed gently. One shared look between the two was enough, and they both began the incantation that they knew to their bones.

 

_Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens..._

_All the stars, far and wide..._

_Show me thy appearance..._

_With such shine._

_Oh Tetrabiblos..._

_I am the ruler of the stars..._

_Aspect become complete..._

_Open thy malevolent gate._

_Oh 88 Stars of the heaven..._

_Shine!_

_Lumière du_ _Lion!_

 

Neither knew the last line, but it burst from their lips at the same time. There was no delayed reaction this time, and an immense beam of light descended from the sky and engulfed Gajeel. The light flooded the area around him, and power radiated from it as the effect hit. The pressure from the magic broke both of Gajeel’s knees and he was forced to the ground unconscious. Lucy swayed before she caught herself on the exterior wall of a house.

 

-

 

Master Makarov had sighed as he finished the last of his paperwork that in truth had really been done by Laxus. It was such a beautiful crisp day, and the aging guild master decided that a walk might be nice. He set his pen down, and hopped off his chair and descended the stairs. Mira waved to him as he left, and he waved back to her and telling her to take a break and enjoy the weather.

 

The guild doors swung shut behind the master, and he looked up at the sky, only to see a golden beam of light shoot down to a portion of magnolia and a cloud of dust form in the surrounding area. Makarov knew that it was one of his troublemakers who had decided that destroying the city would be fun today. It had been such a lovely day, but the old man was obliged to go and investigate the crime scene.

 

Fifteen minutes later, Master Makarov’s teeny tiny steps had lead him to a crushed Gajeel, and a Lucy quickly losing consciousness. The old man activated his magic and quickly scooped up his dear celestial child in his arms.

 

“Master I’m so sorry…” her voice was weak and gravelly, but Makarov shushed her. This wasn’t the trouble he’d been expecting. He grew in size until he could carry Lucy in one hand, and took giant steps over buildings towards the girl’s dorm in Fairy Hills.

 

Makarov tenderly knocked on the window pane of Wendy’s room, scaring the young slayer out of her chair. She placed her hands on the armrest of her plush chair, and slowly lifted her eyes above the rest so she could see who was there. She sighed when she saw it was her old man of a guild master, and opened the window. Makarov placed a beat up Lucy on Wendy’s bed, and promptly shrunk back to his original size once he’d gotten his arm out of Wendy’s apartment.

 

The little wind slayer immediately worked on Lucy’s broken bones, and then checked for other damage. She sighed happily once she realized that the only things that Lucy was suffering from was a broken collar bone, a few bruises and magic depletion. It took Makarov four minutes or less to knock on Wendy’s door, and she gladly answered.

 

“How is she doing, child?” Wendy smiled widely, and Charle made her way towards the little slayer.

 

“She’s fine, Master. A broken collarbone that was healed, and a lot of magic expended. Other than that, she’s in peak health.” Her master smiled at her, and nodded as she spoke. Wendy felt truly grateful in this moment to be part of a guild that valued it’s members so much.

 

“Well then, I will let her rest with you. Unless you have any objections…” He trailed off, but Wendy shook her head and busied herself with making sure Lucy was comfortable under the little slayer’s blue comforter. “Well then, I’ll be off. Be well, child.” And with that, Makarov left Wendy’s little apartment.

 

His return journey to Gajeel was not that of worry for his wellbeing, it was one of confusion. Why would Lucy come all this way to Magnolia just to assault Gajeel? What if it was the other way around, and Gajeel had assaulted Lucy? Where was Levy in all this? The old master walked slowly toward the wreckage of their fight, worry lines forming on his face with each step he took. Makarov was truly emotionally exhausted, and he hadn’t felt this inability to cope with a tragedy since he’d had to expel his own son from the guild.

 

Laxus was never to know the toll it had taken on Makarov to do what needed to be done. He was to live free of the guilt that Makarov carried. Makarov came closer and closer to the wreckage, only to find Laxus binding an unconscious and broken Gajeel’s hands behind his back.

 

“My child.” Makarov said, and Laxus just gave him a look that could kill. “Explain what has happened here.” Laxus gave a sigh and looked as defeated as Makarov felt.

 

“This is the cost of Levy’s escape. Lucy is missing, I have to deal with this fucker-“ Laxus shook a waking Gajeel roughly. “ and we can only hope that Levy made it out safe.”

 

Gajeel started growling now that he was completely awake. His restraints were technically unnecessary, but Laxus knew well enough that a severely wounded slayer could still go on a rampage. Laxus ignored the growls of the metal slayer.

 

“Where is Lucy?” His ocean blue eyes pierced his grandfather’s tired dark ones.

 

“She is safe and is healing from her injury.” Makarov was intentionally cryptic, and when Gajeel started snarling and muttering “let me finish that bitch off” under his breath, Laxus shocked him a little.

 

“So how are we gonna handle this?” Laxus dropped Gajeel onto his face, who continued to glare at the two uninjured mages. “We have a domestic abuser on our hands. That said, the council hasn’t exactly been our friends before.”

 

Makarov sighed, and literally put his blue thinking cap on. “This is true. When you came back from exile, you were a better person.” Laxus rolled his eyes with such an intensity that it caused him pain.

 

“Look gramps. We gotta keep him away from Levy. Maybe lock him in one of the basement rooms?” Makarov nodded, and expanded his magic once more. He grabbed Gajeel’s broken body and set out towards his home. This was such a beautiful day, and now his dear celestial fairy was resting with Wendy. He had to take one of his children to the basement, and figure out the next legal steps he’d have to take. The council had been lenient with Gajeel and Juvia after their Phantom Lord mistake, but this time they wouldn’t be kind.

 

Perhaps that would be what Gajeel needed.

 

 

-

 

Lisanna sat with Jet in the waiting room of the women’s health clinic. Both were anxious, as neither had any idea how the battle between Lucy and Gajeel had ended. They had felt a huge explosion happen in the city about ten minutes prior, and were sure that Gajeel would come rampaging into the clinic at any moment.

 

Both mages sat in silence, their magic just at the tips of their fingers, ready to be pushed forth in a moment of need and desperation. Lisanna broken the silence.

 

“Where is Laxus? Wasn’t he supposed to be Lucy’s backup?” Lisanna asked, her fingers shaking as she gestured wildly. Jet just stared at her, and realized he may have to use his magic to help both young women. The stress was eating away at both mages, their muscles tense and ready to spring forward at any moment.

 

The clinic door burst open, and both mages jumped up and Lisanna started firing off spells. Laxus watched in half amusement, half alarm when Lisanna ran at him with claws outstretched. He gently caught her as she slowed down, realizing that he was not Gajeel.

 

“He’s been taken care of. He’s in the guild basement.” Laxus said, and Lisanna’s takeover faded. She looked up at Laxus and nodded. “Bix and Freed are guarding him right now. He’s trapped in a rune cage.” Lisanna sighed audibly.

 

“Levy is still in there. The nurse said that she’d get a multitude of tests done, and a full body exam.” Lisanna said softly, as Laxus sat down next to her and nodded. “She was so grateful to be here, you know. She was crying and taking turns hugging Jet and me.”

 

Laxus’ mouth twitched upwards. They had all made the right choices for Levy’s escape, and from what his grandfather had suggested, that Lucy was with Wendy. Laxus took a seat next to Lisanna, and did his best not to glare or growl at the other patients in the waiting room. Lisanna wasn’t doing much better than Laxus, her hands were still shaking, and she kept on looking up at the door every time it opened. Jet, to his credit, was much older at this point and was capable of at least pretending he was calm.

 

Finally, after another hour, Levy came out of the examining room, the attending nurse gently patting her on the shoulder. Levy looked over to see some of the most important people in the world waiting for her. A small, timid smile made its way onto her face. She was safe, especially with Laxus sitting between her two old friends. She knew that the Slayer would not allow anything to befall his guild mates. She made her way to her friends, and Lisanna tentatively made her way towards Levy, and when she gave the signal that it was okay, Lisanna wrapped her arms around her dear friend.

 

“How are you feeling, is there anything I can do for you? You can stay with me if you like, and Jet say’s Lucy is here and that’ll be so much fun, we can go shopping together.” Lisanna started anxiously babbling at Levy, while holding her closely and stroking her hair. Jet gently patted Levy’s shoulder, and pulling his jacket off his shoulders, and placed it onto Levy’s cold ones.

 

“Yes Lisanna, girl time is very much needed. Thank you Jet, I feel much warmer now.” Levy said, while Lisanna held her tight, and Jet gently rubbed her upper back. Levy, however, looked over Lisanna’s should right at Laxus. His eyes were soft looking at her, and she didn’t fear anything in the world when looking back into his eyes. She tenderly mouthed “thank you” to him, and Laxus smiled back. It was a gruff smile, but one that promised gentility despite it’s appearance.

 

“Laxus, Jet said Lucy was here. Is she okay?” Levy gently rested her head on Lisanna’s shoulder as she asked her question.

 

“Yeah, gramps said she’s with Wendy.” Laxus watched Levy take this information in, and before she could ask, Laxus answered. “and he’s in a place where he can’t get out. You’re safe.” Levy nodded, and then buried her nose into Lisanna’s neck, feeling the soft hold of her dear friend. She would let her current circumstance and the reactions to said circumstance lay at the back of her mind.

 

“I’m ready to go back to my place. I need my books.” Levy said quietly, although all three of her friends heard her words. Jet nodded, Lisanna took her hand, and Laxus just watched.

 

“I’ll go get your missing belongings.” Jet said, in a way that demonstrated social grace and understanding, and Levy nodded.

 

Laxus, for his part, knew he’d be walking Levy and Lisanna back to the girls’ Fairy Dorms. He knowingly took the rear of the metaphorical caravan, and the four Fairies took to the streets. Lisanna noticed, above anyone else, that Levy was very jumpy from all the street noises, people clearing their throats, and her head would snap in the direction of people talking on the street. She was clearly very rattled by her recent relationship.

 

Laxus saw all this, and slowly put a hand on Levy’s shoulder to remind her of his presence. That no matter what, he’d be there, and even though he knew it wouldn’t calm her body and reactions, that it would at least calm her mind.

 

The trip to the dorms was coming to an end, and the building was in sight. Jet had come back from his task, with all of Levy’s belongings stored under his arm, and comically in his hat. Levy had been most grateful for this, and as they entered the dorm, she sighed every so slightly. Lisanna gently squeezed her hand, and Laxus lightly pressed on Levy’s shoulder.

 

“Well, I’m here.” The little blunette said lightly. Just as she said this, footsteps were heard above them, and it was obvious that they were coming towards them. A pair of feet made their way down the visible staircase ahead, and a blonde head of hair came into view.

 

“Welcome home, Levy.” Lucy said, an air of knowledge and caution in her voice. Her body language made it clear that she was accepting of any behavior that Levy demonstrated. Whether she shied away, ran to Lucy, or gave no reaction would be accepted and cherished by Lucy.

 

Of course, Levy knew exactly what she wanted to do. Lucy was her favorite person in the whole wide world, and Levy ran into her arms. Lucy accepted her completely and as a whole person. She wrapped her much stronger arms around her little friend, careful to be tender with Levy.

 

“I’m so glad you’re safe, Levy.” Lucy whispered, and she gingerly rocked her friend back and forth. This subtle motion triggered Levy into a sobbing mess, and Lucy continued to hold her, delicately stroking her hair. After about 10 minutes of crying, Levy started to sniffle and dry her face. She then let go of her death grip on Lucy and took her hand.

 

“I need to go back into my apartment, will you help me?” She asked meekly, and Lucy was happy to oblige. Levy grabbed her best friend’s hand and timidly made her way to the staircase. Jet and Laxus looked at the sweet scene and knew that it was time for them both to go. Jet left the building first, something that Laxus was grateful for; he wanted to have a word with Lisanna.

 

“Hey kiddo,” Laxus started, earning a half-assed glare from the youngest takeover mage. “I think you should go with Lucy and Levy.” His voice was calm and measured, despite the events of the day. Lisanna’s glare was completely gone by now; she nodded in agreement and made her way up to Levy’s dorm.

 

Levy was crying again when Lisanna arrived to her dorm room, while Lucy sat beside her and gently patted her back. Lucy motioned for her, and Lisanna came eagerly to sit on Levy’s other side.

 

“The doctor said I’d have crying episodes because I’m in shock.” Levy said, hiccuping. “But then she gave me the instructions for the abortion pills.” Lisanna’s eyes widened a bit, and Lucy handed Levy a glass of sparkling water. Both women waited for Levy to continue processing her current situation. After several minutes of silence, Levy spoke again.

 

“I have to put pills up my vagina.” Her voice was quiet, and the hand that was holding her beverage was trembling a little. “The doctor gave me the pain medication that I’ll need to take after I do that.” Silence filled the room again, and it was a few more minutes until Lisanna broke the quiet that had trickled into Levy’s living room.

 

“You know that we’ll be here for you if you need anything, right?” Her voice was soft and comforting, and Levy nodded numbly. “Do you have enough pads? Do you want me to go get my heating pad from home?” Levy nodded again, and the two taller women both understood. They’d be Levy’s caretakers for the day, and that job was one they both felt honored to be doing.

 

-

 

Makarov wept into the piece of paper that had been handed to him less than an hour ago. His dear, sweet celestial mage had racked up a bill so high that it rivaled the one he’d received when Gildarts had sleep-walked through the entirety of Magnolia. Still, Makarov was so very proud of Lucy. She had made an inordinate amount of progress in a very short period of time.

 

Still, he knew that she needed to learn restraint and control over her newfound spell. He knew that if practiced without restraint, it would become more and more hazardous to the surrounding people and area.

 

The old guild master channeled some magic into his Communication Lacrima, and made a call to Lucy’s mentor. Luckily for Makarov, Jura was relaxing in his oddly quiet guild hall when his Lacrima went off.

 

“Yes?” The heavily bearded man looked very content in his chair, and had no idea the pain of his fellow wizard saint.

 

“Jura… please teach her restraint.” Makarov was practically groveling. Jura’s eyebrows raised a considerable amount hearing this request. What in the name of the heavens had happened to reduce one of the most powerful mages to a weeping mess?

 

“I can do that,” His voice was calm and measured to the best of his ability, but Jura was wildly curious. “I’d like to know why, though.” Upon hearing this request, Makarov’s eyes filled with tears once again and he simply held up the city’s damage bill for Jura to see. The younger wizard saint squinted at the number and then groaned while rubbing the bridge of his nose. Makarov even heard a slight mutter of ‘oh dear god’ ushered from Jura’s mouth.

 

“I don’t know how she did it, Jura. I’m grateful that she did, because whatever spell she used completely took out Gajeel.” Makarov explained, pain was evident in his eyes at the state of his guild.

 

“I’m not sure how either, Makarov-Dono. I will, however, speak to her once she returns to our training location. For now, let her tend to her family.” Peace of mind was something that Makarov rarely had for any extended period of time, but with Gajeel in check, Lucy with more training and Natsu out rampaging in the country side, things would hopefully be calmer for a while in his home.

 

“Thank you Jura, be well.” And with that, Makarov ended the conversation. He hopped off his chair, and joined his family.

 

He found the guild to be filled with many people, all drinking happily and chatting away. Laxus was sitting at the bar, ordering some sort of alcohol from Mira. Erza and Cana were sitting a few stools down from him, with Erza seemingly comforting Cana. Gildarts was eye both young women in a most protective manner, occasionally sipping on his beer.

 

Makarov hopped up onto the stool on Laxus’ quieter side, and gave his grandson a meaningful look. The lighting slayer looked back at his grandfather, and took another sip of the strong alcohol in his mug.

 

“Levy is safe. She’s with Lucy.” Laxus said after another sip. Makarov knew what he meant beyond the words themselves. He’d become very good at reading Laxus over the years, and in turn, Laxus had done the same. He watched his grandfather stare at him for a moment, and just rolled his eyes at the aging man. 

 

“Your worry for your fellow guild mates is heartwarming to see, Laxus.” Makarov was teasing him lightly, but his undertone was serious.

 

“How can I not?” Laxus set down his glass, and ran a hand through his spiky hair. “Honestly though, Lucy really surprised me today.”

 

“Yes, she outdid herself.” Makarov smiled slightly, and made a choice to be positive about Lucy’s progress, regardless of the bill that she’d racked up. They both enjoyed a few moments of silence while Laxus finished his drink.

 

“Well, we gotta go deal with…” Laxus trailed off, and his grandfather sighed sadly, but hopped off his bar stool nonetheless.

 

-

 

Gajeel was a snarling, angry mess when Laxus and Makarov descended the stairs to seldom used guild basement. His knees had been set, and he’d been checked for any other injuries. Makarov studied the slayer with a mixture of anger and pity, while Laxus betrayed nothing in his expression. His experience of seeing the slayers knees broken and bleeding on the ground earlier in the day had given him a sense of massive satisfaction. He knew who’d fought him, and found it fitting that the mage who he’d mocked as weak and had tortured had been the one to literally bring him down on his knees.

 

“Let me the fuck ‘outta here!” Gajeel’s lip curled as he rasped out his demand. It would not be fulfilled, and this would further anger the slayer.

 

“How did Levy get those bruises?” Laxus’ voice was cool, calm, and collected. This was quite a feat, however, and Laxus’ would’ve rather shocked the metal slayer until he lay on the floor as a fried crisp.

 

“How do you fuckin’ think?” Gajeel smiled. It was a horrible, proud smile; they type of smile a serial killer wears after a particularly gruesome murder. Makarov sighed unhappily. “She decided to misbehave, and snuck out the house without my permission. So I punished her.”

 

This was too much for Laxus, and he whirled around and stormed up the stairs. Not before telling his grandfather that ‘I want this fucking shit stain out of the guild.’ and then slamming the door closed so hard that the wood started to crack and splinter.He knew that what Gajeel had just said was only the beginning of the horror stories that Levy would no doubt tell to her closest friends.

 

Laxus sulked at the bar, downing gin and tonic’s at an astounding rate. Mira stood by, providing him with alcohol, but worrying and glowering at him for his mid-day drinking.

 

“Laxus…” Mira sighed, but poured the amount of gin into the glass of fresh ice. “Maybe if you went and visited Lucy. Master told me she was at Wendy’s house.” The great slayer glared at Mira for a split second, and then relinquished his petulant expression. He lacked the energy to deal with Mira’s charades.

 

“Oh alright, but get off my case Mira, I won’t date her.” Laxus conceded, and laid down a ground rule for Mira. She pouted for a moment, but was then replaced with a smile that terrified Laxus to his core in a way that no enemy could. He turned on his heel and left the guild hall before Mira could make any other absurd suggestion.

 

The walk to Wendy’s little apartment was short, but when he knocked on the door he was greeted by the little slayer herself. It was at this moment that Laxus realized that Lucy was no longer with Wendy. She looked slightly anxious for a moment, but opened the door wide enough for Laxus to enter her home. He obliged, partially because he found the little slayer to be an enigma, and that her presence made him rethink certain things.

 

“Hi Laxus-san. Can I get you some tea?” Wendy gently picked up her teapot and poured the hot water into a mug. Laxus didn’t respond, but instantly recognized the scent, and almost cursed Wendy for a moment. Peppermint tea was his weakness, he loved it, but only had when he visited his grandfather’s home. He watched as Wendy poured a second cup, and then saw the teapot slip from her hand just enough to bump the mug of fresh and hot tea off the table.

 

Laxus started to make a lunge to catch the tea, but a gust of strong wind came blowing up from beneath the falling mug, and had it float just long enough for Wendy to catch the mug. None of the tea had spilled. She smiled proudly and handed the mug to Laxus, who stared for a nanosecond before accepting the tea. She had obviously been training, and the precision and reaction time in her spell was quite impressive. He knew that if word got out that he had tea with the littlest slayer, that there’d be some laughing. All that faded away when he took the sip of the tea though, and the smell of cool mint filled his senses.

 

“How is Lucy?” Laxus’ baritone voice eased into the comfortable silence. Wendy looked up from her tea for a moment, and made the sort of eye contact with Laxus that conveys information.

 

“She is physically fine. Levy will also be physically fine. I worry more for their mental health.” Wendy said, sipping lightly in between phrases. Laxus raised an eyebrow, and motioned for her to go on, and Wendy did. “I think Lucy will be okay, she has Jura, and they have a very good friendship. He will help her if she asks for it. Levy, on the other hand, will be thrown into the mix of the guild once again. This may leave her feeling aimless and confused.” Wendy planned on saying nothing more until Laxus asked her. She very much enjoyed the large lightening man, but she’d also spent her fair share of time around Mira.

 

“Oh no, Levy won’t be alone. I’ll make sure that Lisanna is almost always there, and where she goes, Bix follows.” Laxus laid a very clearplan for Levy’s foreseeable future. Wendy took note of this, and smiled into her tea for a moment, before the corners of her lips looked to the floor.

 

“And what of Gajeel-san?” Laxus looked at the little girl for a moment, but realized that she asked knowing the answer would be unfortunate.

 

“Lucy beat him, and he’s got broken knees. I think gramps set them and bound them.” Laxus read her small face, the concern for his wellbeing, for the guild and for Levy. Wendy looked up from her tea and her eyes met Laxus’ stormy blue ones.

 

“It’ll all be okay. The guild will survive and thrive.” Wendy said, putting down her empty mug. Laxus smiled a bit, and agreed wholeheartedly. He ruffled the top of Wendy’s head, and told her he had to leave. She smiled a bit and flattened her hair with the palms of her hands and sighed.

 

“Bye Laxus, be safe.” Wendy said as she closed the door behind the larger man. She stared at the expanse of the door she just closed, and felt helpless. She wanted to make all of Levy’s fears go away, and wanted to change Gajeel to make him be a better person. She wanted to figure out where Natsu was, and how to have that conversation with Lucy. In this moment, Wendy felt as if everything was her responsibility.

 

Wendy knew that this was all beyond her control, and tried to figure out what she could do to help. She mindlessly put on more hot water for tea, and refilled her teapot with loose leaf peppermint tea. The smell of it calmed her immensely and she thought that maybe it would help and calm Levy.

 

Wendy picked up her large teapot and ticket it under her arm. She left her little apartment, teapot in tow, and made her way down the flight of stairs to the middle floor that contained Levy’s apartment. She knocked on the door with her dainty knuckles and waited for an answer. An extremely guarded Lucy answered, but relaxed the moment she saw it was Wendy.

 

“Hi Lucy. I made a big pot of tea for Levy.” Wendy held the large and beautiful teapot out to Lucy, who smiled and took it. “Its peppermint, there’s no caffein in it.”

 

Lucy was very appreciative of Wendy’s thoughtful behavior, and leaned in to kiss the top of her head. The young woman gave Lucy an expression that read ‘I’m not a kid anymore’ and looked like a cranky little sister. Lucy did everything she could not to giggle, but a little snort slipped out.

 

“Sorry Wendy, I see that you’ve grown into a young woman. Thank you for the tea, I’ll let Levy know, and I’m sure she’ll come visit you when she feels well enough.” Wendy smiled and said her goodbyes to Lucy.

 

The toned blonde woman turned back into the small book filled apartment where Lisanna was fixing up her heating pad for Levy’s cramps. The smell of peppermint filled the room as Lucy walked back in from her exchange with Wendy.

 

“A gift from Wendy; she sends her love.” Levy smiled as Lucy spoke, and Lucy realized that the love of the guild would slowly put Levy’s mind at ease. It would need to be done slowly, and as Lucy poured the tea, she began to formulate a plan. Once Lucy left to go back to training with Jura, Levy would need to have a subtle guard of people who’d make sure she was safe at all times but not overly crowded.

 

Lisanna picked up two mugs of tea and handed the bigger one to Levy, and sat back down next to her.

 

“Hey, can we watch Friends?” Levy’s quiet voice piped up from the clinking of clay mugs and the slight sloshing of tea. Lisanna looked at Lucy, who looked back at Lisanna with a knowing look.

 

“Of course,” Lisanna said, getting up again to start up the Lacrima. “What season do you want to watch?”

 

“Can we start at the Pilot?” Levy’s eyes were so hopeful, and though neither Lucy or Lisanna had any plans to deny her, the look she gave them was mixed with doubt and fear.

 

“Of course we can.” Lucy said softly, and took a seat next to Levy as the episode started playing. She knew that giving Levy what she wanted would make her feel like her voice and needs would be heard and valued. This was an important first step to recovery for Levy.

 

-

 

Jura sighed into his mug of hot tea with a splash of whiskey, and swirled the liquid around in the cup. Things seemed to be rough at Fairy Tail, and he worried for Lucy. He thought of the bonds that her guild seemed to share, and hoped they’d come out of whatever darkness with a more stable and healthy bond. Jura stared into the still swirling drink in his mug when something hit him very hard in the side.

 

A soft ‘oof’ came out of his mouth, and he looked down to see a pink head of hair pressed firmly into his torso. Chelia was still as strong as ever, and her hugs were ferocious.

 

“Jura!” The excited the squeal that accompanied his name made Jura’s heart swell with joy and pride. Chelia was growing into a young woman, but she still adored him, regardless of the teenager attitude that she copped with many others.

 

“Hello Chelia, how are you?” His tone was so warm and comforting, that she almost hugged him again.

 

“Well, I was supposed to go on a mission with Lyon, but he decided to visit Grey instead, so I went alone.” Chelia humphed, and continued on. “Of course, Lyon would’ve been useless on the mission anyway, I had to take out a few Vulcans, and that was pie.”

 

“I’m not surprised that the mission came easily to you.” Jura said, supporting her self-esteem and trying to hide his ire at Lyon. Whether or not Chelia was a capable mage was not why she didn’t go on solo-missions, it was because she was still a teen and needed guidance on some things.

 

“I’m not a kid anymore, Dad.” Chelia said, making sure that the word ‘dad’ had a certain tone and attitude to it that made Jura’s eyebrows knit together. “I can take care of myself. I am 16 years old!” She then rolled her eyes and scoffed.

 

Jura looked at her for a moment before a slight chuckled escaped his mouth, and before she had time to protest, he agreed with her. “Yes, you are 16 now, and I suppose you’re ready to take on more solo-missions.” Chelia beamed with excitement and confidence as Jura spoke.

 

Things changed so quickly with teenagers, and Chelia was no exception. There were times when he missed the little girl that would fall asleep in the guild hall, who he’d carry to her little room and tuck her in. He missed the times that she’d swing from his hand and giggle up at him, and the times that she’d come to him in times of need. He missed all of that, and yet he knew that this was a very important time for Chelia. This was the time that she’d define herself, and find her own self assurance that would make her into an adult that could care for herself. He’d do everything in his power to nurture that in her, no matter how much it pained him to see her turn into an adult who no longer needed him the way a child did.

 

“So, what’s it like teaching someone magic?” Chelia leaned in interestedly, and the desire for knowledge shone in her eyes.

 

“It’s fascinating, Chelia. Lucy already knows magic, she’s just furthering her studies and has asked me to guide her.” Jura calmed replied, taking another long, soothing sip of his drink.

 

“You’re teaching Lucy? Wow, her magic is so pretty, and she’s also ultra gorgeous!” Chelia seemed very excited by the fact that Lucy was his student, for lack of a better word. “Although, I’d not want to be on the wrong side of her temper. She’s scarier than Mira-Jane!” She exclaimed, surprising Jura out of the enjoyment of the conversation.

 

“Do you really think she’s that scary?” He asked, trying to keep his tone neutral. He’d never heard of this side of Lucy before, and he trusted Chelia to tell the truth.

 

“Oh yeah, but she’s the type of scary that doesn’t know when she’s frightening someone.” Chelia said in an offhand manner, all while checking her makeup in a small compact she kept in her purse. Jura made a note of this, as he didn’t know what to get her for Christmas, and he’d ask Lucy for help around what to get her when it came to cosmetics.

 

“Well…” Jura trailed off, and looked at Chelia for a moment. He decided that it might be okay to tell her this. “I can see that about her, now that you mention it. She did just blow up an entire block of Magnolia.”

 

Chelia gaped at him, half in horror, and half in amusement. “See, I told you.” She had proven herself right, and Jura just sighed inwardly. Chelia was most certainly a teenager, and she oozed the attitude and mentality of one. Yet Jura found that there was something refreshing about it, and he couldn’t figure out what it was.

 

She then leaned conspiratorially into Jura’s side and whispered. “Did she really blow up an entire block?” Jura made the sort of eye contact that conveyed exasperation. When he confirmed that she had indeed destroyed an entire block, Chelia smiled devilishly.

 

“Will you teach me how to do that?” The smile of mischief had not left her face and hope in her eyes. Jura, however, instantly dashed that hope.

 

“Absolutely not. You know exactly that I’d have to pay the damages that you’d incur.” The look her gave her was kind, but was also a warning that the aim for pure destruction was not the right path. Chelia acknowledged it within herself, and grinned at him.

 

“Oh alright then…” She trailed off, but still looked fondly at Jura. “Hey, can we get ramen tomorrow? At that place?” The offhand question made Jura smile feel warmth spread from his chest.

 

“Of course we can. I knew you’d like the food there the first time I took you.” Jura said, but sighed when he realized that the shopkeeper, Sophie, would be getting very old soon and would have to shut down her business.

 

“It’s a promise then?” Chelia asked tentatively, and stuck out her pinky to Jura, who’s much larger pinky engulfed hers. That was all the confirmation she needed. “Ok, I have to go train now. I’ve almost sliced a piece of paper in half, exactly in half.” She declared, and skipped out of the backdoors of the guild. Jura watched her go with the smile of a proud parent on his face.

 

-

 

Laxus groaned into the paper work that his grandfather had handed him. He’d been up way past the hours of guild activity, and Mira had brought up a hot mug of something or another for him several times during the evening.

 

The paperwork was nothing short of unpleasant, but there was a grim satisfaction in this particular set. He was writing up an accusatory list of the things Gajeel had done to Levy, including the time he’d dragged her out of the guild hall. This would be handed to the magic counsel after Levy filled in the rest. This was the end, the last pages of Laxus’ paper work. He’d already allocated 10% of his income from the next 5 missions he took to pay for the damage Lucy had done, and assigned the rest of the payment to be taken from the guild’s bank account on a monthly basis. He sincerely hoped that Lucy would never destroy anything ever again, because her initial foray into demolition had marked her as a high threat in the future, and that would make the interest for future payments to cities much higher than most of the other guild members.

 

Finally, his paperwork came to an end, and he grabbed his fur-lined coat and swung it over his massive shoulders. The air was crisp and cold as Laxus made his way back home. He wondered where Lucy would spend the night at his place, or whether she’d be with Levy tonight. His walk back to the house he called home had been done on auto pilot, and when he arrived in his front lawn he saw that his mailbox had it’s flag up. Tentatively, Laxus opened the box to see a quickly hand scrawled message.

 

_“Hey, Lucy is staying the night with Levy but I’m going to Bickslow’s place. If anything happens, Levy or Lucy will call you over Lacrima, so please keep it in your room._

 

_See you tomorrow, Lisanna.”_

 

The note was quick and to the point, which Laxus appreciated. He pocketed the note and made his way into his house, and slipped out of his clothes until he was in nothing but his boxers. His bed had clean sheets on it, and he gingerly climbed into bed, groaning a little when his body relaxed into his tempur-pedic mattress. He soon drifted off into a dreamless yet restful sleep.

 

This was the case until his lacrima went off at 3 in the morning, and he groggily answered it. Levy was on the other end panicking, gesturing, and whispering frantically.

 

“Laxus please come over now, I think he’s here!” Levy was in near tears, and there was something so desperate about her words and expressions. Laxus of course kept the lacrima trained to his face, and quickly dressed himself while Levy gave him details on what she was experiencing.

 

It took him less than 7 minutes to get to Levy’s place, and by that time Lucy had secured the door shut with Aries’ wool, and Laxus had made an inescapable corridor between himself and the door. But by the time he got there, no one was between him and the door, and he figured it was a false positive. He still knocked on the door and announced himself.

 

Virgo answered, and bowed to let him into the apartment. Levy teared up when she saw Laxus, and her grip on Lucy’s torso lessened.

 

“Well, thank god he’s not here.” Laxus spoke reassuringly, and Lucy smiled at Levy. She, however, looked guilty and ashamed.

 

“He’s not here? But I was so sure I heard him whispering through the door…” Levy trailed off, looking at the ground.

 

“Better safe than sorry is my policy.” Laxus said gruffly, and Levy looked up in shock. Lucy nodded in agreement and added, “I’d rather you wake me up with a fear or a nightmare than not wake me up and take the risk of it being an actual dangerous situation.” Lucy chose her words wisely, and the decision not to use Gajeel’s name was a conscious one. Laxus seemed to agree with her, and Levy looked between both of her friends and started to cry again.

 

“I’m so sorry…” She wept, but neither Lucy nor Laxus cared about being woken up, they cared about Levy’s safety more than anything else. Laxus put on hot water for more peppermint tea, and Levy clung to his side. Lucy took to checking the windows, Levy’s door, and even did a check of the perimeter of the girls’ dorm building. Gajeel was nowhere in sight, and that relieved Lucy. When she got back to Levy’s apartment, Laxus had coaxed her into bed, and she was clutching her warm mug anxiously.

 

“Levy, good news. He’s not here.” Lucy said, doing everything she could to ease comfort into her friend’s psyche. It seemed to work, but Lucy and Laxus both agreed that he’d sleep on Levy’s couch while Lucy slept next to Levy to ensure her comfort.

 

Lucy went to Levy’s bed, and Laxus stretched out on the couch realizing that he’d do anything for Levy’s safety before drifting off into an uncomfortable sleep.


	9. 9

So, this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous one. Its sorta the close of an event, and then the beginning of another. In this chapter, I wanted to show how every little step in recovery from trauma helps you take bigger and bigger steps. How even seemingly insignificant situations can change someones self confidence.

 

ALSO, this story, like all of my other stories, are always always always a work in progress in that I’m using them to teach myself how to write.

 

Chapter 9

 

The Rune Knights came the very next day to collect Gajeel, and it was done in the morning before the wild hellions of Fairy Tail woke up and starting throwing things, setting them on fire, and causing general chaos. Mira, Wendy, as well as a few of the older guild members saw him go, and they all stared at Gajeel with a disappointed intensity that was not lost on him. He glowered right back at them as he was brought out of the building.

 

The doors swung shut with a thunk and a heavy silence fell over the hall. Wendy leaned over the bar and motioned Mira over. The barmaid slowly walked towards Wendy with a very sad look in her eye, and the sky maiden mirrored it.

 

“That was heartbreaking, Mira…” Wendy’s eyes were swimming with tears, and one trickled out of the corner. “I know we’re choosing to protect Levy and that Gajeel most certainly needs punishment, but it shouldn’t have ever happened.” Wendy was now weeping into her hands, and Mira busied herself for a moment with making Wendy a hot chocolate.

 

“I know Wendy. Gajeel should have been a good partner to Levy, but he wasn’t. Sometimes people do the things they shouldn’t. Now Levy has to live with those memories.” Mira placed the warm mug of hot chocolate down in front of Wendy, and gave one of her teeny hands a gentle squeeze with her own delicate hand.

 

“Thanks Mira.” Wendy was dejected and upset. She wondered how Levy was, if she’d had a good night’s sleep, and when she’d stop by the guild. Wendy sipped her hot chocolate and thought about how things were going at the guild, and she wondered briefly if the other guilds experienced the same amount of inner turmoil. Wendy sat at the bar longer than she realized, because Laxus had sat down next to her and had already ordered his massive breakfast from Mira.

 

“Wendy,” Laxus’ deep voice finally reached her on his third attempt. She looked up at Laxus; her eyes still a tad glazed over from spacing off and she blinked. “You don’t have to carry the weight of the guild’s troubles on your shoulders.”

 

Wendy looked up at the great lightening slayer; she knew he was right, but she didn’t want to admit it. She wasn’t a kid anymore, and Carla been pressuring her to be more responsible about money and jobs.

 

“I just want to help…” Wendy said, trailing off at the end. She looked up at Laxus with pleading eyes. Laxus looked back and her a begrudgingly sighed.

 

“Just…” Laxus trailed off, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Just keep being you. I’m sure Levy will appreciate it.” He was not good at the advice thing, but Wendy had asked, and Laxus was still working to repair the guild’s trust in him. The youngest slayer hummed into her hot chocolate, and then thanked Laxus. The young slayer hopped off her bar stool; tried to pay for her hot chocolate, and left the guild when Mira promptly refused to accept payment, telling Wendy that it was on the house.

 

Wendy went straight back to her apartment and began to brew a big pot of peppermint tea for Levy. Lucy was most grateful when Wendy knocked on Levy’s door that morning with more tea in hand.

 

“How is she doing today?” Wendy’s soft voice was tentative as she asked. Lucy gave her a warm smile in return.

 

“She’s doing better today. She’s taking a hot shower right now, and I’m sure she’ll be very grateful for the tea you left.” Lucy said as she placed the warm teapot down on a little table near the door. “Oh! I almost forgot,” Lucy quickly scurried away and came back with Wendy’s other teapot. Lucy closed the door as Wendy turned away, waved, and went back up to her own apartment.

 

Wendy came back the next day with yet another pot of tea; hibiscus this time, and she had explained that her peppermint tea was all out. Lucy and Levy were most grateful, and the flavor switch didn’t bother anyone.

 

On the third day, Lisanna was visiting once again, and Levy was feeling just a tad bit brighter. Not like everything was a-okay, but that there was a hope for change in her life. She looked at Lisanna; who was carrying a large teapot, as she walked across the room towards the door.

 

“Are you giving Wendy her teapot back?” Levy’s voice had a tinge of curiosity to it; Lucy looked up from her reading on Fiorian Law (she’d snuck the book out of Jura’s house.) and smiled.

 

“You know, I think I will. She’s been very kind to bring us tea every morning.” Lisanna said, and watched Levy’s reaction. Her brows knit together, and she looked towards her apartment door.

 

“May I come with you?” Levy whispered, and Lucy saw her fingers shook as she fidgeted with the hemline of her shirt. Lisanna looked on, hope glimmering in her eyes.

 

“Of course you can come. Do you want me to summon Virgo or Aries?” Lucy asked, and Levy timidly nodded in response. Lucy thought about it for a moment, and chose to summon Aries. She thought that Virgo would be good, but that her use of the word “punishment” might be a bit rough for Levy. So she pulled at Aries’ golden key and brought her to Earthland for the quick romp up to Wendy’s. Lisanna put down the dishes she was doing and rinsed the soap off her hands.

 

“Well… I’m ready to go when you are.” Lisanna was smiling broadly, and Levy smiled back tentatively. Lisanna picked up Wendy’s pretty teapot, and opened the door to Levy’s apartment. Aries apologized profusely as she took the lead, and Lucy followed her slowly. Levy followed Lucy, and Lisanna came in last, closing the door to the little book filled apartment.

 

Levy held on tightly to Lucy’s hand, but her feet shakily made their way to the stair case that lead to Wendy’s cozy little home. She stopped at the first step and nervously bit her lip while looking up at Lucy.

 

“What if he’s at the top of the staircase waiting for me?” Levy looked up the stair case and her eyes traced the path that they’d need to take. They settled on the flat landing before following up the second flight of stairs after the curve.

 

“Do you want me to go first and have Lisanna follow you?” Lucy asked, knowing full well that this may be the end of Levy’s outing, and that she may want to go back to her apartment. Levy, however nodded her head and let go of Lucy’s hand, and at Lucy’s instruction; Aries took her place as the designated hand holder.

 

They slowly made it up to the staircase and arrived at Wendy’s door. Levy reached out and tentatively knocked. When the little slayer opened her door to see all three women on her step, she smiled broadly.

 

“Hi Wendy.” Levy said breathlessly. She was a little shaky, a little nervous, but it was dawning on her that she’d done it. She had left her apartment, walked up the stairs, and was now here with Wendy.

 

“Would you three like to come in for tea and cookies?” Wendy’s light voice floated out of her apartment door and towards the hallway.

 

Levy smiled, genuinely and excitedly. Before Lisanna or Lucy knew what was happening, Levy had wrapped Wendy up in a large and warm hug. The two taller women both smiled at each other, and followed their blue haired friend in for tea with the, if possible, smaller slayer.

 

Wendy made lavender tea, which was soothing and fragrant, and made small talk between sips. What the three older mages didn’t know was that Wendy had a surprise for them, and was very nervous to show it off. Wendy got a lucky break when Lucy stood up to clear the dishes, and began washing them in the quaint kitchen that Wendy herself had decorated.

 

The littlest bluenette walked in and laid a hand on Lucy’s deceptively strong forearm to get the celestial mage’s attention.

 

“Lucy…” Wendy spoke, and Lucy momentarily saw the young, innocent girl that Wendy was when she first came to the guild. “I have a… patient that I think would be helpful for Levy to spend time with.”

 

Lucy eyed Wendy for a moment, but then nodded. “Sure, who’s this patient?” Lucy was curious, not only for the benefit of Levy, but for Wendy’s insight into the current situation.

 

“Well, it’s Pantherlily… I found him in the woods around Magnolia. He was barely alive, and I’ve been nursing him back to health.” Wendy fidgeted a little, unsure of whether or not her choice was the right one. She, however, steadied when Lucy put a hand on her head and nodded.

 

“I think that’d be a good idea, but give Levy a bit of a warning. Let her know that you’ll be bringing a patient out in the open.” Wendy nodded and agreed with Lucy’s idea, and went to gather the still-healing exceed.

 

The reunion went better than Lucy had expected, and Levy cradled Pantherlily in her arms and cried over him.

 

“You’re alive!” Levy was still cradling the usually tough Exceed and sobbing into his belly. Lucy expected him to scoff and act like a tough cat, but instead she saw a little black paw come up from the blankets and rest on Levy’s cheek.

 

“Yeah, I’m alright.” His voice was still gruff in tone, but when he spoke there was a shake to his voice. He was trying to be okay, but his wounds were deep and he was in pain. “I’d like to stay with you.”

 

Levy pulled her face away from the black Exceed and stared for a moment, before whispering a hoarse “Really?”. Pantherlily nodded, and Levy started crying again. She was so very relieved that he was alive, and that he wanted to stay with her.

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent with Wendy, who continued to brew tea and provide cookies. Levy and Wendy took the currently used mugs to be rinsed out with hot water for their next round of non-caffeinated tea flavor. During this lapse of conversation, Lisanna leaned into Lucy and quietly whispered in her ear.

 

“Do you mind if I take tonight to spend with Bixlow? I’ll stay with Levy tomorrow night so you can take the night off and spend some time at the guild.” Lisanna was hoping that Lucy would say yes, and she did, but not without questioning.

 

“So, tonight with Bixlow? What are your plans?” Lisanna blanched when Lucy asked, simultaneously nudging the silver haired woman in the ribs.

 

“Uh, well… we’re gonna be experimenting with handcuffs, maybe.” Lisanna was bright red at this point, and Lucy was giggling. Then Lisanna voiced a realization. “Yeah, but lets keep that detail to ourselves, we want a safe environment for her, and this topic could make her feel scared.”

 

They both agreed that Lisanna’s kinky sexcapades would be kept between them, and not shared with Levy until she was comfortable and felt safe once again. Lucy looked over her shoulder to see Wendy teaching Levy all that she could about brewing tea. The water temperature, the timing, the loose leaf tea, and the teabags.

 

“This is good for her, you know?” Lucy said, still looking at Levy soaking in all the information about tea.

 

“Yeah, I think I’ll try to get a routine going where Levy has the someone every day of the week for when you leave. Plus, she’ll have Pantherlilly now.” Lisanna was also watching Levy smile and shine with joy at learning, and knew that learning would help her friend heal from her trauma. She noted that Levy had made a sling out of a scarf, and had her Exceed resting in the cradling cloth like an infant.

 

“Talk to Laxus about that, he and Wendy have been especially invested in protecting Levy.” Lucy spoke softly, still watching the sweet scene unfold in front of them. She knew that Levy would spend a lot of time being innocent like this, caring for Pantherlily, making tea with Wendy, and probably doing small missions with one of the S-class mages in the guild. Erza would be good for her, Lucy thought idly.

 

They finally split when the sun was going down, and Lisanna gave Levy a warm and comforting hug before going to Bixlow’s apartment. Lucy, Levy and Pantherlily went back to Levy’s book covered apartment and made dinner. Lucy taught Levy what she’d learned with Jura about cooking.

 

Levy loved it, and she loved the fact that cooking meant she could care for herself. She could create something delicious and nutritious, with a little skill and some ingredients. It felt empowering, it felt good, and Levy smiled as she chopped scallions into little pieces. She knew this whole ordeal wasn’t over, but for now she’d let herself rest and find joy again in life.

 

\---

 

Lisanna knocked on her boyfriend’s door, and it swung open to reveal a slightly disheveled Bixlow. When he saw who had woken him from his early night of sleeping, he smiled and picked Lisanna up by the waist. She squealed in surprised, but Bixlow just shushed her.

 

“We’re going back to sleep now.” Were the only words that he mumbled, still half asleep. Lisanna smiled into his neck, and wrapped her limbs around his body. Things had been so hectic this past week, and they hadn’t spent much time together. She missed him, greatly, and couldn’t wait to grab one of his bigger teeshirts and climb into bed with her man.

 

“I missed you, baby.” She whispered into his ear, and then nuzzled into the thick bramble of navy blue hair on his head. Bixlow gave a low, relaxed moan in response, and sat on his bed.

 

Lisanna untangled herself from his body, and went to look for a comfy shirt to sleep in. By the time she’d found the shirt; changed into it, and turned to get into bed, Bixlow was already under the covers and dozing off. She looked at him for a moment; appreciating everything about him, and then joined him under the covers.

 

Little did Lisanna know that Bixlow was most certainly not asleep. Nimble fingers found their way to her shoulders and began to gently massage the stiff muscles on Lisanna’s neck. Then he began to move to her mid back and work on the muscles there.

 

“Did you have a rough day, love?” Bixlow murmured into Lisanna’s ear. The only response he got was a satisfied groan and a smile from her. He continued on to her lower back, and made sure the soreness of a long hard day had been massaged out of her body.

 

Lisanna made to return the gesture, but Bixlow just grasped her hands in his, and kissed her knuckles tenderly. But he was nervous as well; Bixlow knew that while he very much loved Lisanna, he had to know what she wanted out of their current relationship. He didn’t want a fling or a failed relationship, he was ready to settle down for good, but Lisanna was younger. He couldn’t make her stay with him if she just wanted a short, fun relationship.

 

“Lisanna…” Bixlow started, not knowing where to begin. He had a feeling that this conversation would either solidify their commitment, or break it completely. “Lis, I need to know what you want out of a relationship.” He knew his voice was shaking slightly.

 

Lisanna just looked at him for a while, pensively. She knew that a pandering answer would do her partner no good, and she wanted to give him the most honest answer she could. So she lifted up his hand, and kissed his knuckles.

 

“Bixlow, I love you so very much. It’s important for me to say this, so please let me finish this.” She saw the fear in his eyes, but gently squeezed the hand she held in her own.

 

“Maybe I’m too young to understand what I feel, or too inexperienced. Maybe it’s naive of me to think that at my own age I’d find my soulmate.” Bixlow closed his eyes, hearing the doubt in her words and in her voice. “I think sometimes that people spend a lot of time trying to find The One for them, and forget to enjoy life. But Bix, I am enjoying my life with you. I can’t imagine my life any other way, with any other person as my partner.” Bixlow let out a shaky breath, but felt at more at peace than he had earlier. He gently placed a loving kiss on Lisanna’s neck, and mumbled a soft ‘Love you too, babe.’ into her silky skin. He knew that relationships weren’t easy, but he felt that he understood how Lisanna communicated better after this. He knew this was just the beginning, where the first ‘I love yous’ felt like the bravest thing to say in the world. They’d take it day by day,

 

—

 

Morning came, and Lucy woke to the sounds of breakfast being made. She briefly wondered if Laxus had come over this morning, until she heard soft humming coming from Levy’s kitchen. That was definitely not Laxus. She gently lifted herself up off the mattress, and made her way to the kitchen.

 

Levy was cooking, and a small smile was dancing on her face. She was sautéing onions, boiling potatoes, and chopping carrots. Lucy figured out that she was making curry for breakfast, and there was rice cooking in another pot.

 

“Good morning Levy.” Lucy mumbled sleepily, still in her pjs. Levy put her knife down and gave Lucy a huge hug.

 

“I pulled out the cookbook you got me for my birthday last year, and I found this recipe was in it.” Levy was working overtime, and excitedly so. Lucy was worried at first, but she trusted Levy to know what her own limits were. If she got tired, Lucy would take over. If early morning cooking soothed her friend, then so be it.

 

The curry turned out to be delicious, and Lucy was full and warm by the time the meal was over. She cleared the plates and did the dishes while Levy got dressed.

 

When she returned, Lucy explained that she needed a bit of time at the guild, and that Lisanna would be spending the day with Levy. Lucy made it clear that if Levy needed her, that she’d come back from the guild. Shortly after their quick and understanding conversation, Lisanna arrived with cookies and Lucy departed after giving Levy another hug. Something in Levy changed with that conversation, and the guild became her next goal.

 

The guild shenanigans were in full swing when Lucy arrived, and she made her way to Mira at the bar. She dodged two tables, 3 complete chairs, and 5 pieces of debris before she made it to the smiling bar maid.

 

“Lucy! It’s so nice to see you. What can I get for you today?” Mira yelled slightly, while also dodging a plank of wood that looked to be part of a bench.

 

“A smoothie sounds delicious, and uh… can you choose the flavor for me?” Lucy asked, still dodging pieces of wood and splinters.

 

“Mira, what is going on? This is wild, even by Fairy Tail standards.” Lucy asked, as the cloud of debris was directed to a corner of the guild, and the roar dimmed enough to have a conversation without yelling.

 

“Natsu arrived back this morning, and then Sting, Rogue and Yukino arrived for a visit shortly before you did.” Mira said, leaning in so Lucy could hear a bit better. Of course, Mira also leaned in so she could see Lucy’s reaction to hearing that her old teammate was in the guild. She did not get the reaction she expected.

 

“If he burns Yukino’s underwear in the guild, I swear to god…” Lucy muttered the threat low enough for Mira and Rogue to hear. He’d taken up the spot where Gajeel used to sit, and while he was expecting to hear some interesting news; the tidbit about underwear was surprising to him.

 

“Oh Mira… things have been so intense recently. It’s like I’m trying to hold everything together for Levy, but its so, so hard.” Lucy put the emphasis on the second ‘so’, and sighed into her drink. She looked at the barmaid and saw her sympathy, and Lucy now understood Mira’s position in the guild on a much deeper level. Mira was the person that all the other guild members went to for emotional help. ‘

 

“Lucy, you can only do so much for Levy. You’ll have to trust that she’ll be able to ask for the help she needs.” Mira said, her soft hand resting on Lucy’s. “As important as your help has been to her, she’ll be okay after you leave, too.”

 

“Yeah, I guess you’re ri-“ And then a table hit Lucy in the back of the head, and good lord was she pissed. Silence filled the guild hall, as Lucy sat up from her stool and stared at the two fools who dared interrupt her conversation with Mira.

 

Natsu and Sting weren’t sure what to make of Lucy. Natsu hadn’t seen her since the Panty-Burning-Event, and Sting had not seen her since Tartaros. They were both gauging the situation when a hand grabbed each of their ankles and pulled them into the soft earth.

 

“You two interrupted my very important conversation.” Lucy’s tone was quiet, deadly, and ultra pissed. Regardless of how quiet she was; everyone in the guild heard Lucy. “I am most displeased.”

 

Lucy gave the neck deep boys a cold stare, and walked away to finish her conversation with Mira. The barmaid was doing everything she could to not burst into gales of laughter, but it was hard.

 

“Shit, she’s scary.” Sting said, as he tried to climb out of full body hole in the ground. Lucy was another Fairy he didn’t wanna piss off anymore than he already had. Natsu wasn’t as convinced, and so decided to go in for another hit on Lucy.

 

She was fast. Faster than Natsu had faced in a long time, and he thought he could best her. Lucy quickly moved into intercept Natsu’s attack, and slammed his face into the bar.

 

She thought she was in the clear, a clear test of strength and prowess. She’d unknowingly displayed a skill her mentor had learned long ago and betrayed who was her teacher.

 

“Thats… thats who your teacher is?!” Natsu was afraid of the celestial mage for the first time in his life. She was insane; absolutely mad, she had chosen one of the most fearsome mages as her teacher. Natsu knew she was a force to be reckoned with, but this added information made her deadly.

 

Lucy squirmed, this was not going well. She didn’t want her guild to know who her teacher was. She had done all she thought was necessary to keep it a secret. Hell, she even smelled like Laxus! Unfortunately, Jura had rubbed off onto her in a way she couldn’t hide at this point.

 

“Well… yeah.” She finally admitted, and the guild exploded into a chorus of questions.

 

“So _Jura_ is your teacher?”

 

“What’s he like?”

 

“Do you two live together?”

 

“Where do you live?”

 

“Can I come visit?”

 

She tried to answer the ones she could, but it became way too overwhelming for her. Lucy finally managed an escape excuse, and made a break for it.

 

Luckily, she’d run into Laxus on his way to the guild.

 

“Shit…” Lucy was gasping for breath. “They know man, Laxus they _know”._ The lightening mage raised his eyebrows at Lucy, and started to laugh.

 

“Well of course they know! You’re smart, but there are certain things the guild will sniff out, no matter how smart or clever you are.” Laxus was still laughing. Lucy just glared back. “So how did they find out?”

 

Lucy recounted the recent events, and Laxus laughed harder.

 

“I’m going back to your place, I need a break from all the chaos. Plus I gotta get my outfit ready for the Halloween party.” Lucy sighed, and Laxus nodded to her, still chuckling.

 

Her walk back to Laxus’ house was peaceful and relaxing, for which Lucy was immeasurably grateful. Until a slightly high pitched voice reached her ears, and she stiffened, praying it wasn’t one of her guild mates. Until she heard the suffix added to her name, and relaxed.

 

“Lucy-Sama!” A voice called out from the distance, and she saw a white haired figure walking towards her. Only one person called Lucy that.

 

“Yukino!” Lucy waved her over, and began chatting with her only Celestial Mage friend. Lucy really loved Yukino, and often missed having her close by to discuss Celestial Magic.

 

“You mean he didn’t tell you? He _promised_ he’d tell.” Yukino sighed, but seemed that the information hadn’t been delivered to Lucy, and it fell to her shoulders to inform her dear friend. “Natsu and I…” She trailed off hoping Lucy would understand, and she did. Yukino was so afraid that Lucy would be angry.

 

“You are?” Lucy felt a wide grind make its way onto her mouth. She had some thoughts, but her true feelings made their way onto her expression. Ultimately, she was happy that Yukino and Natsu were together. It was an odd feeling, but Lucy knew it was absolutely right for them to be together. It seemed that Natsu was drawn to light, and if anyone was a bright light in the world, it was Yukino.

 

—

 

Lucy groaned as she flopped down into the seat next to her dear friend and mentor. She’d had one of the most exhausting weeks in a long time. The party had been a huge hit. Levy had made an appearance, and the guild welcomed her in with tampered excitement. She clung to Pantherlilly for a great deal of the party, who’d become a source of comfort for her. Lucy saw just how courageous Levy was at that party, and how she jumped every time the guild doors opened. Never the less, she persisted.

 

Natsu had been uncharacteristically shy about his relationship with Yukino, but with Lucy’s coaxing and acceptance, he’d come clean. Lucy had sat down with Laxus, Lisanna, Levy and Wendy and come up with a protection plan for Levy. The little solid script mage was a little anxious, but Lisanna was as comforting as ever.

 

Jura looked at his friend and saw her exhaustion. He tried hard to not laugh, he really did. But he startle to chuckle regardless. Lucy threw him her worst look, but it just fueled his amusement.

 

“Oh go on, laugh it up. How is Chelia? Did she think Coco was adorable as ever?” Lucy smirked as Jura quickly stopped laughing.

 

“She’s a teenager, and I don’t understand teens.” Lucy just raised her eyebrows at him. Did he really not understand teens? “Also, she told me my beard was weird, and that I needed to grow it out to my ears.”

 

It was Lucy’s turn to laugh, earning her a look from Jura. Eventually she stopped giggling, and leaned into Jura’s shoulder comfortably.

 

“Must be hard for you, seeing her grow up like this. I also hope its fun, too. Chelia is really wonderful.” Lucy murmured, and then yawning sleepily.

 

“She’s a wonderful young woman, and there’s a distance between us that wasn’t there even 6 months ago.” Jura confessed; his relationship with Chelia confused him greatly, and some days it still stung that she wasn’t a sweet little girl anymore.

 

“You know, being a teen isn’t easy. You’ve gotta distance yourself from all that you know to find your true self.” Lucy yawned again, and relaxed a little more into her seat and Jura’s side. “When I was her age, I ran away from home. I mean… part of that was because of who my father was. The other part was because teens are just trying to find themselves in this world.”

 

“Thanks…” Jura didn’t understand completely, but Lucy’s explanation fit some missing pieces into this puzzle of his life. He was incredibly grateful to have Lucy as a friend, and he looked forward to future pearls of wisdom from the Celestial Mage.

 

“Yukino and Natsu are dating. She has the patience of a saint…” Lucy trailed off, praying for her friend’s patience. Natsu was a handfull, and that fact probably would never change.

 

“That must’ve come as a shock to you. I heard whispers that you two were dating.” Jura said, offhandedly. He knew this was a potentially touchy subject, but he also knew that when something was bothering Lucy, she liked to talk about it.

 

“Oh for the love of… no. He’s burned my apartment, my clothes, eaten raw potatoes from my pantry. I’d end up losing my sanity within 24 hours with him. Oh no. I could never be with someone like that.” Lucy said, with an air of confidence. Jura started laughing.

 

“He ate raw potatoes from your pantry?” He was still chuckling, the expression leaving his sides feeling a tad sore.

 

“I lost it Jura. It was the night I left Magnolia, too. It really reaffirmed that I’d made the right decision to leave.” These words hung in the air comfortably, and Jura smiled over at Lucy.

 

“I’m glad you made the decision. I’ve gained a wonderful friendship from it.” Jura said softly. She smiled to herself and felt instantly relaxed, despite the chaos of the week.

 

The rest of the ride home was uneventful, and they arrived by nightfall. Coco was glad to be back in her home, as was Lucy. Her time back at the guild had taught her a lot about herself. She had run away from home for freedom to be, but she was only now understanding who she actually was.

 

Jura watched as his companion yawned for the umpteenth time, and her head droop into her left palm. She was getting closer and closer to just putting her head on the table and sleeping in her empty soup bowl.

 

“Jura… I’m going to bed.” Lucy mumbled, and almost slipped off the stool onto the floor. She managed to right herself, but not before Jura noticed and raised a brow at her.

 

“Yes, and you clearly need it.” Jura said dryly.

 

—

 

 

Life went back to being calm for a while, Lucy continued her training with Loke. Jura had eagerly began exchanging techniques with Virgo. Lucy and Jura had decided that Virgo would be the next Unison Raid that they’d develop. Jura’s reasoning for this was that it would be helpful to have someone who knew the spirit’s magic intimately to guide them through the process.

 

“Ok, but why didn’t I get a guide for my unison raids with Loke?” Lucy question, but she was only given a dumbfounded stare by Jura. Did she not know?

 

“Lucy, you are a light mage…” Lucy’s mouth dropped open into an “o” shape, and that was the end of that discussion.

 

So the days went by, and they meticulously worked out the details of the spell. As Lucy began to experiment with it, she understood many things. First and foremost was that her respect for Jura ran deep. His element was one of resistance, fortitude, and strength. It took a great deal of concentration and effort to properly wield it, and if Lucy made a mistake, the spell would go wrong.

 

It was not intuitive like her Unison Raid with Loke.

 

The second important thing that Lucy realized was that she liked peace. Yes, her days with Natsu, Erza and Gray had been fun and exciting. In some ways, she even missed those times, but in most other ways she didn’t.

 

These are how Lucy spent her days; in peace. This was until Jura was banging on her bedroom door at midnight on a snowing December evening. She’d never heard this amount of urgency and panic in his voice. She dressed quickly, and opened her bedroom door, to find Jura had packed extra supplies. He was hurriedly gathering all he needed, and Lucy followed suit.

 

“Loke.” The spirit came immediately, understanding exactly that this was no time for fun and games. “Take Coco to the spirit realm. Have Plu look after her. Next, tell everyone that I’m going into an unknown situation, and to prepare for anything.”

 

Both mages exited the little cabin, and silently made their way to their destination in silence. Lucy knew not to ask, and trusted Jura to guide her wherever they were going.

 

She assumed that someone from Lamia Scale had needed help on a mission. She assumed it would be a dangerous foe to defeat. She assumed so many things. Her assumptions did not prepare her for what she’d be facing.

 

And a nice large thank you to my reviewers, who’ve stuck with this weird ass story.


	10. 10

A Ha! I have returned. Sorry for the really late update, inspiration is a fickle friend. I’ve been trying to figure out my writing style and all that, so this chapter may feel a bit different. I’m trying to go for quality over quantity in my chapters, because I used to feel like they had to be these lengthly in depth pieces. Anyway… I’d love some feedback on this. 

 

I don’t own fairy tail, or the characters. 

 

 

 

Lucy began to come back to the surface of consciousness from a deep and warm sleep. She heard giggling and then shushing, but she didn’t really care. She was very comfortable snuggled into her pillow, and she just wanted to go back to sleep. She groaned and turned over and buried into the warmth. 

 

“Girls, let her rest. She stayed up most of the night keeping watch.” Jura’s stern voice shook Lucy out of her semi-sleeping state. Oh god oh god oh god. Lucy wasn’t on a pillow or in a comfortable bed. She had her head on Jura’s thigh, and had buried her face into his side. Lucy’s face burned with embarrassment, and she just wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole at this point. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option; she had to face the whole situation. 

 

“I’m up. It’s fine, we should get going anyway.” Lucy groaned, reluctantly lifting her head off of Jura’s leg. “Sorry about that” She murmured as discreetly as possible. Jura just smiled kindly, shrugged a little, and then began helping the two air mages pack up. 

 

The trek back home was cold, but they all made it to the small cabin safely. They explained in turns what had gone wrong. Apparently it was a mission to take down a vulcan, which they did perfectly. The issue they'd had was that night had fallen and a snowstorm was brewing. Chelia explained how she thought it'd be a good idea to wait it out, but soon both she and Wendy had gotten really, really cold. The look of relief on Jura's face was something Lucy would never forget.   
  
All four mages trudged on down the snowy mountain, with both teens taking several rides within Horologium’s warm inner cabin. They made it back to the cabin in good time, and Lucy had ushered both into the bathroom for a nice warm shower, and then began to cook dinner. 

 

“Lucy, let me make dinner.” Jura placed his hand on her shoulder, and Lucy jumped slightly from the contact. She had been so in her own mind about earlier. He’d been so warm, so comforting, and he had let her rest. She couldn’t get that out of her head. 

 

“Oh, thank you so much. I need a rest…” Lucy admitted it freely. There was no real use in hiding her exhaustion from Jura; he always saw it anyway, and she trusted him to know how tired she truly was. 

 

“Thank you for taking such good care of Chelia, Lucy. It means a great deal to me.” Jura said solemnly. Lucy knew how important the little mage was, and she knew that Jura saw her as nothing less than his daughter. Lucy smiled broadly and laid her hand on Jura’s bicep.   
  
“Of course.” Both teens popped out of the bathroom at that very moment; they were covered in what looked like a traveling towel fort, and Jura looked to Lucy for an explanation. 

 

“I have no idea…” Lucy muttered, rubbing her hands on her face. The teens were two very unique peas in a pod. 

 

Dinner was a cheery affair with both teens chatting animatedly. Lucy loved having the company, but having Wendy around brought her to painful realization. She missed her guild, and while she knew she needed to be here with Jura, she still wanted to go back. She once again felt torn with her position as a mage, which brought up another situation that brought her discomfort. She needed to go on missions for money, seeing as she was running dangerously low on jewels. 

 

__

 

Lucy had given her room to the teens for the night, and was now doing the dishes while thinking intensely about how to proceed with her situation. Perhaps she could call Makarov and have him sign her up for a few local missions, but then she’d have to somehow get the mission slip from Magnolia to wherever she needed to go. Her face contorted into a slight pinch. 

 

“You’ve been making that face for about 15 minutes now Lucy.” Jura’s mouth twitched up a the corner as he spoke and a thick eyebrow raised, a quirk Lucy had come to recognize as amusement. 

 

“Well, having the girls around is hard for me. It makes me homesick, which reminds me of when I had a higher rent to pay which reminded me that I need more jewel because I’ve been using my savings.” Lucy counted off the list of things that were bothering her. It was a russian nesting doll of emotions really. “But, I don’t want to leave _here_ because this” Lucy gestured to Jura and the around the small cabin, “is the best place for me to be.” She stared at Jura for a moment, and there was that brow twitch again. 

 

“Why don’t we spend an extra few weeks in our guilds after new years? I’m fairly sure my guild misses my presence as well.” Jura sipped on his evening tea, almost smirking, and definitely had the twinkle in his eye of the cheshire cat. “Is that why you’ve been in your own world for most of the evening?” 

 

“Well yeah!” Lucy was a little too emphatic in her expression, and dish soap bubbles soared through the air due to her gesturing. One landed on Jura’s cheek. Jura stared, and Lucy froze before bursting into a fit of laughter and he joined in.   
  
“Well, alright then.” Jura smiled while wiping suds from his cheek. “I’m going to bed, tomorrow night we’ll pull the couch out into a bed, that way you can sleep in your own.” 

 

\---

 

Morning came with several inches of snow on the ground with bright sprinkling sunlight glinting off the flakes. Lucy was up early because the couch wasn’t comfortable enough. She’d slipped on her running shoes and sleek winter sportswear. She made her sneaky escape and dashed into the fresh powder. She relished in the power of her long strides and the speed of her run. 

 

It gave her time to think, and to reflect. Things had changed, and she could feel it. Experiencing Jura in a relative panic had stirred something in her, and then seeing him care for both Chelia and Wendy had stirred that something even more. Then, she woke up napping with her head in his lap. She took several more leaps through the snow, and paused just at the right time. 

 

There was a fox making fresh tracks in the snow, prey caught in it’s mouth. Two young kits came out of a nest and made yipping noises and grabbed at the meat. Lucy slowly and silently crouched down into a squat, and continued to observe. The older fox tossed the dead rabbit at the feet of the kits and sat back as they ate. It wasn’t until the kits were full and slowly slinking down back into the nest that the older fox started eating what was left over. Then, they too slipped into their warm burrow. 

 

Lucy slowly turned around and made her way back to the cabin. That had been a really spectacular run; first she’d had exhilaration and power, and then she’d experienced incredible tenderness on display. She thought about what that meant, and how it might reflect on her own life and relationships. Where had she received that power, and tenderness? Perhaps that was the balance she was looking for in her life. 

 

Natsu had been both powerful and tender, but to an unhealthy degree. Her mother had been powerful in a subtle way, and tender in obvious ways. Her father had been the reverse. She had people in her life that represented both ends of that spectrum, but for today Lucy would appreciate what she had learned. 

 

She was about to enter the clearing that encircled the cabin when she saw Jura poke his head out of the door. Lucy started strolling towards her home, and her purposeful strides made swishing sounds as the snow dispersed around her feet. He heard her steps through the snow and turned his head, and she saw some relief on his face. Even though they both knew there wasn’t really any risk, he still worried when Lucy wasn’t in the cabin. 

 

“I went for a spectacular run.” Lucy smiled brightly, and brushed the snow off her shoulders and thighs. “I’m going to stay out for a bit and shovel the snow around the front door so there’s a clear spot.” 

 

When Lucy came back into the house, there was bacon, eggs and tea waiting for her on the table. She missed her guild, but she loved living here. Jura was flipping another round of bacon for the twin wind mages, and he turned around when he heard Lucy come back in.   
  
“That’s for you, Lucy. Once you’re done go ahead and take the first shower before I wake up the girls.” He intensely flipped the bacon, making sure it was as perfect as possible. 

 

“I saw a fox and her kits today on my run. She hunted, and then made sure the babies ate first.” Lucy said between bites of bacon. “It was really sweet, and the kits were really cute.” Jura hummed in response, his own piece of bacon between his teeth. “It reminded me of how you are with Chelia.” 

 

“She finally started calling me ‘dad’ this halloween,” Jura sighed as he sat down with his own plate of food. “I can’t express how happy it made me.” He had a soft smile on his face, and Lucy’s heart melted just a little bit. Then they heard giggling coming from Lucy’s room, and it reminded her that if she wanted to shower first, that she’d have to hurry.

 

“My shower...” Lucy trailed off, awkwardly shoveling food into her mouth. Jura smiled a little, entirely entertained by Lucy’s dilema.

  
When Lucy emerged from her slightly rushed shower, she popped into her room to find 2 teens in pjs playing cards. She leaned against the door frame and counted her lucky stars. If she and Jura had been even an hour late, this would be a very different scene. But they’d made it on time, and Lucy had the joy of watching the two slayers interact. 

  
“Ok you two, out and take a shower. Jura’s made breakfast.” Lucy made a shoo-ing motion, and both teens scurried out of her room. Lucy sighed, started getting dressed, and made a checklist of things she’d need on her upcoming trip back to the guild. 

 

“Shit!” Lucy stumbled on the hem of her jeans, and landed face first on the floor, twisting her ankle in the process. She groaned with pain and then embarrassment. Jura had opened the door to see if Lucy was ok.

 

It turns out that she wasn’t. On so, _so_ many levels. First, she’d twisted her ankle in the fall, 2nd, she had barely pulled her pants over her ass, but 3rd was the worst. She was wearing her gag underwear, a gift from Lisanna that seemed hilarious at the time, but not so much now.   
  
These underwear had cocks on them. Because of course they did. Lucy heard a small chuckle behind her, then full out laughing.   
  
Lucy tried to save herself from more embarrassment by trying to get up and wiggle into her pants, but her ankle gave out and she fell and hit her head on her bedpost.   
  
“Fuck.” Lucy’s whole world was spinning, otherwise she would’ve been more surprised by the curse that flew out of Jura’s mouth. She felt two arms pick her up and guessed she was being brought to the couch. His concerned face came into focus as she felt two fingers delicately pry open an eyelid.   
  
“Well, that’s a concussion if I ever saw one Lucy.” He sighed, and was incredibly grateful that both the wind slayers were in his house. His next stop was her ankle, that was at the very least sprained. 

 

“Daaaad what was that?” Chelia’s voice came out of the shower, and Lucy groaned at how loud everything was. Jura began the process of yelling back to his daughter, when Lucy tenderly put a finger to his lips and shushed him. Jura turned and saw Lucy’s glassy eyes, and saw how much pain she was in. He gently lifted her hand from his face, and placed it on her lap. 

 

“Everything is so loud.” Lucy whispered quiet enough that Jura had to lean in to hear her. He just nodded and went to collect either slayer. Fortunately, a small head of blue hair popped out of Lucy’s bedroom fully clothed, so he brought Wendy into the library.   
  


“She has a concussion and an ankle injury. Please be as quiet as possible.” Jura whispered as he guided the younger slayer into the room. 

 

Lucy healed up nicely though, and Wendy only had to guide her body to do the healing at an accelerated pace.   
  
“The concussed feeling might last for a few hours, but you’re in the clear Sis.” Wendy said as gently as possible, and Lucy nodded along gingerly.   
  
“Man, that hurt. Thank you Wendy.” Lucy gave the slayer a big hug and thanked her again. 

 

Jura and Lucy had decided that they’d leave for their respective guilds that Sunday. It gave Chelia and Wendy a few days to spend together, but it also gave both of the older mages time to Christmas shop for their friends and family.  

 

So on that chilly Sunday morning they all left the cabin. Necessities in hand, a hissing cat in her carrier, and a palpable excitement in the air. They all clambered into the carriage, Lucy drew the blinds and let Coco out of her cage. 

 

“She’s not supposed to be out of that!” Jura whispered. But Lucy rolled her eyes at him.   
  


“You know she hates it. If there’s no chance of her escaping and becoming lost, we’re not keeping her in the damn cage.” Lucy hissed back, making arm gestures. Jura knew he couldn’t win this one, so he let it go. Plus, having a cat in his lap purring contentedly didn’t help his argument. Still, his slightly disgruntled expression remained for several minutes after the fact; he did not like breaking rules.

 

They made it to the train station, Lucy holding her bag and a cat. Jura tipped the carriage driver well, and they were off to their train. They found a compartment, slid the door shut, and Lucy relinquished her hold on the cat. She promptly curled up in Chelia’s lap, and she immediately got a lot of love and attention from the teens. 

 

About halfway through their trip, Lucy pulled out her lacrima and called Laxus.   
  
“Blondie! Is everything okay?” Laxus smiled widely, his opinion of Lucy having changed a great deal since the rescue of Freed and Evergreen, and then even more after the whole ordeal with Levy.  

 

“Nope, all is well! I’m on the train to Magnolia, and I was wondering if you’d put me up again?” Lucy watched Laxus frown.   
  
“I don’t think I can this time Lucy, but we’ll still go back to that bistro you liked. My treat.” Laxus truly was bummed he couldn’t house Lucy, she was awesome. But his current situation didn’t quite allow for her to stay. 

 

“Hm, could I maybe ask Mira?” Lucy felt a little bit of panic rise in her chest. She’d let her lease go to someone else. 

 

“That’s a great idea. I’ll ask her and call you in a few mins.” The lacrima went blank, and Laxus sighed. He didn’t like keeping secrets, but he knew if this one got out that it would be weird.   
  
Levy was asleep in his bed, fully clothed, and resting well. It had started a month or so ago when Lisanna had come to him with an issue. It turned out that Levy was sleeping maybe two hours a night, if she was lucky. At the time he’d shrugged and told her about a chemist with a good sleeping potion.   
  
That obviously hadn’t worked at all, because only a few nights later Levy was knocking at his door at midnight, crying. He’d yawned, motioned for her to come in and handed her an old tee-shirt of his. It wasn’t romantic, it wasn’t sexual, and Levy slept full 8 hour shifts. 

 

The instinct within Laxus to mate her had been held well at bay for the past month, and he would never let it gain control until Levy was healed and back living and sleeping independently of him. 

 

“Mira, can you put Lucy up for a little while? She’s coming for a surprise visit.” Laxus yawned widely, his coffee had not kicked in yet, and watched Mira’s face light up.   
  
“Yes! When is she coming? Oh my god I have to prepare the guest room!” Mira’s joy was so powerful that it almost slapped Laxus in the face through the lacrima.   
  
“Yeah, she’ll be arriving in a few hours. She just called me from the train.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and wondered why he hadn’t just given Mira’s contact info to Lucy. “You know what, here’s Lucy’s lacrima code, why don’t you call her?” He transferred the necessary information, and then unceremoniously hung up the lacrima.   
  
Laxus looked over to Levy’s side of the bed, and felt his chest ache. It was incredibly painful to be so close to her, and to understand that it would be quite some time before they could be together the way he so desperately needed. He took in a deep and steadying breath. In due time, things would work out.   
  
“Levy,” Laxus whispered. “It’s time to get up. Lucy is coming to visit for Christmas.” Laxus smirked as a head of blue hair shot up from the cocoon of blankets and pillows.   
  
Levy then ran around Laxus’ house, gathering her clothes and getting changed as fast as possible. Lucy’s return alone was cause for celebration. The small solid script mage rushed to the door, followed by Laxus who held it open for her.   
  
“Bye Laxus, see you later!” Levy said, and kissed his cheek. It had been instinct for her, but the moment she realized what she’d done, Levy bolted. All Laxus could really do is lean against the door frame, touch his cheek in shock, and thank the stars that Lucy was arriving. He knew that Levy would turn to her, and if anyone was to know about their situation, he’d prefer that it was her.

\---

 

Mira bustled around her house cleaning everything to within an inch of its life, overjoyed that Lucy would be staying with her. To top it all off, Lucy would be staying for an extended period of time. It was because of Lucy that Mira and Lisanna had mended their relationship, and that Lisanna had a place in the guild. It was because of Lucy that Levy was safe and sound. Lucy was well loved and always welcome in her home.   
  


It was time. Mira got to go meet Lucy at the train station. It was a surprise of course, but she hoped it would be a lovely one. She’d cleaned her guest room thoroughly, bought several house supplies for Lucy, and made sure to have fresh flowers on the guest nightstand. She’d planned a girls night in with movies and treats and alcohol, and had dusted off her old cook books.   
  
Now, she was bouncing on the balls of her feet at the train station, waiting patiently.

 

\---

As the train slowed, Wendy and Lucy started their goodbyes to Jura and Chelia. The two wind mages got all misty eyed and hugged each other tightly.   
  
“I promise to get you something really cool for Christmas!” Wendy said, as she untangled herself from her best friend. Chelia promised the same immediately.   
  
Lucy leaned into Jura’s side ever so slightly, catching his attention, and they exchanged glances of appreciation for the scene before them. Lucy vaguely wondered what he would like for Christmas.   
  
The train lurched as it came to a complete stop, and the Fairies began to disembark.  

  
“Lucy, Lucy!” Mira called, catching the attention of her favorite blonde mage, who smiled and waved. She looked particularly pleased to see the takeover mage, and nudged Wendy so she’d notice who had come to greet them.  
  
Lucy and Wendy made their way to Mira, who enveloped both in a glorious hug. This was going to be a very fun holiday season. Mira could already feel it. Lucy was home for Christmas, and she’d make sure that Lucy had a good time.   
  


\----

Lucy settled in nicely with Mira, and quickly discovered that they would have a blast temporarily living together. Mira tried to make Lucy the guest of the house, but Lucy shut that down very quickly. It was on the 3rd morning that Mira burst into Lucy’s room with a quest flyer in her hand. 

 

“Lucy! Look! Look at what I found!” She was waving the flyer excitedly. Lucy’s eyes were still adjusting to the light.   
  
“Mira, what…” The barmaid held the flyer up to Lucy’s face for a moment, before Lucy snatched it out of her hands. 

 

“Wow, Mira that’s a really rare reward!”  Lucy stared at the paper, smiling happily. She quickly forgot about her morning of sleeping in. “Cassiopeia…” Lucy trailed off. She was an incredibly powerful spirit, only whispered about in the quietest of spaces between the closest celestial mages. There were many rumors about her, that she was worse than Aquarius, and that she was very vain, valued beauty and intelligence combined above all else, and was picky about her summoner.   
  
“I’m assuming that key is really useful, otherwise this wouldn’t be S-class!” Lucy dropped the paper immediately after hearing those words. Mira looked cheerful as ever.

 

“Mira! I can’t go on this mission! I’m not S-class.” Lucy despaired… that key was incredibly useful, coveted, and had been hidden for centuries. It was thought only to exist in legend, but some celestial mages believed otherwise. 

 

“Luuuucy, have you forgotten?” Mira smiled brightly, and then pointed to herself. Lucy’s face lifted immediately.   
  
“Really, you’ll take me?” Mira nodded, and Lucy lept from the bed and hug tackled the silver haired mage. She couldn’t believe her luck. 

 

They departed that afternoon on the train to Hargeon, after getting Makarov’s approval, of course. 

 

“We need a basic plan to go on once we learn what our client needs. I also want to keep damages to a minimum.” Lucy paused for a moment, and then felt embarrassment flush through her. “Maybe I shouldn’t say that, after all, the last time I visited, I destroyed an entire block of Magnolia... “   
  
Mira tried not to giggle, she really did. But soon, Lucy was giggling too. It felt so good to be home, back with her guild, and though she still felt that being with Jura was her current path, the feeling this gave her was like nothing else in the world.  
  
“I was thinking that since you’re well suited to long range magic, that I’d keep our enemies distracted on the front line, should it come to that.” Lucy nodded along to what Mira was saying. “And about the reward, its 800,000 jewel as well. I was thinking that we split it. The key would only be an ornament in my hands anyway.”   
  
“No no no Mira, I’ll take no more than 300,000 you take the majority of the money.” Lucy waved her hands in a slightly panicked motion, and saw Mira nod along. Now that she was sure that Mira wouldn’t push it on her, so she pulled out two muffins from her bag and handed one to Mira. 

 

The client turned out to be a very distressed father, who’s daughter had been kidnapped, and he had no leads and very little evidence. He had, however, left her bedroom undisturbed; something for which both mages were incredibly grateful. 

 

“Mira, come take a look at this. What do you think it is?” Lucy had found a trail of, well,  something. The takeover mage came and kneeled next to her.   
  
She knew immediately what it was, or rather what it wasn’t. That trail on the ground was only visible to other mages, and so to her father it looked like the girl had been dragged out the window without any other evidence.   
  
“Well, it’s a very, very good thing you didn’t disturb this room, sir. There are certain things only mages can see, and because of your good sense, we were able to see it completely undisturbed.” Mira looked over to Lucy, who had tracked the path out the window. “Well, our job starts now. We will be back when your daughter is safe in our custody.”   
  
Lucy nodded to the father, who looked terrified at this point, and then she hopped out the window to ground below. She never stopped tracking the path that was left behind. Questions raced through her mind. What was this track, how long would it last for, why was this little girl taken in particular? Why could only she and Mira sense this leftover from the heist?   
  
“Mira, why does this space feel empty? It’s a path, but it isn’t…” Lucy mumbled slightly, her attention brought to where the path was leading. “And why is it so obvious? The people who did this are either sloppy and counting on no one recognizing this, or they’re setting a trap.” 

 

Mira nodded happily. Bringing Lucy on this mission had been a very good idea indeed, because she had just displayed the kind of reasoning that would make her a very good quest companion.   
  
“Listen closely Lucy. We’re going to have to be very careful here, because this is what happens when child-smugglers take their victims. They use magic sucking devices that take any fight out of their victims, and simultaneously suck up any magical residue they leave behind. I’ve seen this once before and I was lucky to get away without becoming captured as well.” Lucy’s eyes widened as she heard the rest of the story. This poor little girl was probably terrified, in a cage, and possibly being processed for the next step. Deportation. 

 

Both mages nodded, and silently stalked the rest of path towards the den of the smugglers. They were Fairy Tail mages, and they wouldn’t let this injustice go unanswered. 

 

\---

 

Makarov gleefully called his fellow wizard saint, and began debating on how to tell him what had just happened. Oh, he would have so much fun with this. He’d prepared the final bill, had the nice numbers written out largely and clearly. 

  
Jura’s bearded face appeared in the lacrima, and he momentarily was pleased to see his much older friend. That lasted about a nano-second before he realized that the old man was gloating.   
  
“What is it, Makarov?” Jura wasn’t about to get testy with a man he respected, but he also knew trouble when he saw it.   
  
“Your lovely, powerful, and destructive apprentice just took a job in yoouuur town!” The Fairy Tail master said, in a singsong voice. “You know what that means, right? It’s your backyard she might be blowing up!” 

  
No wonder Fairies were all powerhouses and highly destructive, Jura thought idly as Makarov giggled excitedly. This was their guild master, he invited mischief into his life. And yet, Jura hoped beyond hope that Lucy would not destroy the town he called home. 

 

“Yes, thank you for reminding me of that incident, Makarov. I have taught her well, and her next magical evolution will less prone to accidental explosions.” ‘... _I hope’_ Jura thought as an afterthought. But, as long as Makarov was doing this with him, he might as well play along.   
  
“So, how did you manage to pay the bill she incurred last time?” Jura leaned back into his favorite chair at his guild, and sipped on an early evening drink.   
  
“Ok ok, I see what this is now Jura. In all seriousness, I hope she’s making even more progress, especially because she’s taken an S-class mission with MiraJane!” Jura nodded sagely, and even though he felt slightly nervous at the news, he also trusted Lucy to know her own magical boundaries. 

 

“Well, I’m not surprised.” Jura smiled his beard going along for the ride. “Well, if that’ll be all Makarov.” Then he hung up. His guildmaster, Obaabasama was chortling happily into her own drink. She enjoyed any chance of Makarov being teased, and was particularly pleased that it was done by one of her one guild members. The sound of laughter made him look up. Lucy was growing, Chelia was safe, sound and happy, and he’d won a game of verbal chicken with a dear friend. All was right in his world. 


	11. 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna give a warning here, this is a really rough chapter. There's death in this chapter, and trauma and just... its rough. If my warning could use better wording, please do let me know. 
> 
> I do not want to post something with an inadequate warning and have someone read something that will re-traumatize or trigger them.

Before you read any further. This chapter comes with a serious warning to proceed with caution if death and cruelty are major issues for you.   
  
  
Previously: Lucy and Jura rescue Wendy and Chelia when they were captured in a cave due to a heavy ice and snow storm. They spend time at the cabin before making the decision to spend Christmas at their respective guilds. Lucy and Mira take a mission that has a key for a reward, and open up a can of worms in the process.   
  
Chapter 11:   
  
Mira and Lucy crept towards the edge of town, following the trail that had been left behind by the kidnappers. Lucy realized it was leading towards the edge of town, and quietly summoned Virgo, who came quietly and sensed the tone of the mission quickly. It was a tense walk along the path, and all three women were grateful when they reached the edge of the town. Then, they were upset and confused.   
  
“What happened to the trail?” Mira whispered, twirling around, looking up at the trees and the surrounding area, as if she were expecting to find a treehouse or a secret cabin.   
  
“This is weird, Mira...” Lucy shook her head, looking around for any detail that could be of use to them. Time was not on their side during this mission. “Virgo, anything?”   
  
The maid spirit shook her head, looking equally perplexed as the other two women. Mira kept looking around the woods, hoping to pick up the trail again to no avail. Lucy sat down at the base of a tree and scanned the ground, and started scanning for any clues to a trapdoor or an illusion or a portal... or anything that would give them a hint as to what happened to the trail they were following.   
  
“Lucy, do you think this was the trap? That they sent us on a wild goose chase to keep us from finding them before they could move the girls?” Mira had circled back around to where Lucy sat, and pulled out a water bottle.

 

“No, I don't think so... I think the catchers went after the wrong girl, I think they're high on their successes and they've gotten cocky. They haven't considered that a kid they'll abduct will have a parent who's willing to make it a mage mission.” Lucy whispered back, taking a sip from the same water bottle. She stood up and found the end to the trail, and started walking in a circle. She had to be really careful about her next few moves. If her assumptions were correct, then they were busting a low level operation attached to a bigger organization. She assumed it was a dark guild. If she was wrong, then she and Mira might as well be walking into a death trap.

 

They didn't have the time for this stall, Lucy thought furiously. The thought of scared children in danger, missing their parents, going hungry and cold increased her rage. She knew she had to try and keep her calm, to figure this out, but it was hard.   
  
“Princess, please calm yourself, we need to remain rational.” Virgo whispered, and Lucy nodded, taking a deep steadying breath.

 

She started scuffing her foot on the ground to vent her frustration. She saw a tiny ants nest in the ground and scuffed the dirt into it. That gave her a moments satisfaction, until the dirt fell away into the hole. Lucy glared at the ground, feeling powerless and incapable and scuffed dirt into the ant nest a little harder, the dirt fell away into the hole. She crouched down and peered into the little hole and decided to do a little test. She picked up a large handful of dirt, and poured it on the ant hole. It all funneled down the hole faster than it should be. She rested her hand over the small hole and felt a current of air gently flowing out of it. This was no insect nest.  
  


“Virgo, come check this out.” Lucy whispered, motioning for her to come over. Mira walked over too, and the three made a little circle around the hole. Virgo prodded it with her own magic, and then stepped back. Both Lucy and Mira followed suit.   
  
“It is an entrance. To what, I don't know.” She said solemnly. She looked at her friend, her princess, the mage to whom she had contracted herself.   
  


“This is the best we have...” Mira sighed, she was clearly upset that they didn't have a better lead. This was the most inconclusive clue there ever was. She hoped it wasn't a trap.

 

“Can you get us in, Virgo?” Lucy asked tentatively. She knew this would be risky, and that if Virgo was caught and kept in magic cancelling cuffs, she could die due to being prevented from returning to the spirit realm. Virgo nodded, and began studying that small hole. “This is going to be really dangerous, Virgo. If you want to go back I understand. I wont hold it against you.” Lucy said, eyeing Mira nervously.

 

“No. I will stay with you until the end, Princess.” Lucy smiled and nodded, thinking for a moment that Virgo was just talking about the mission. That was, until Lucy felt the pact taking hold on her magic. Virgo had just bound herself to Lucy's family, to her bloodline for eternity unless released by the holder of her key. She stared at her friend for a moment, and then nodded.   
  
Virgo got the secret way opened well enough for all three mages to slip into the passageway one by one. It was cramped and damp inside the cave, and it smelled of cheap cigarettes and mold. Mira and Virgo exchanged glances, knowing that this very well could be just luck on their side.

 

They kept on trekking their way deeper into the caves, doing everything in their power to keep their presence unknown to the people they were now sure were inside the cave. They kept going for what felt like hours, until they heard men's voices. They all stopped dead in their tracks, and quieted their breathing.   
  
They realized the voices were coming closer to them. Lucy frantically pointed to Mira and Virgo, and then put a hand over her mouth. Then she pointed towards the direction of the men coming their way. Both understood what she meant. Grab them, keep them quiet, knock them out, restrain them, and then keep moving on. They flattened themselves agains the wall as their enemies rounded the corner. There were two of them, and Mira grabbed one so quickly that his friend didn't realize what had happened until it was way, _way_ too late. Lucy had grabbed the 2 nd man by the hair, pulled his head down and kneed him in the stomach, and Mira had pretty much dismantled the other guy. Both Fairies looked at each other, and then at their handiwork and nodded.

 

Virgo pulled out two pairs of handcuffs from some magical pocket in her dress, and smiled maniacally. She looked to Lucy for permission, and when she nodded, Virgo cuffed them both, then she pulled out rope and hog tied them.   
  
Lucy mouthed the words “thank you” to her spirit friend, and they were on their way. They all silently agreed that should they encounter more kidnappers, that they would handle them the same way the first two were dealt with.

 

Unfortunately, they weren't so lucky with the second encounter. They almost accidentally stumbled into their meeting room, and one of the members noticed them. 10 seconds was not enough to formulate an in depth plan, and so Mira turned to Lucy and said the word “train”, and Lucy understood.  
  
She pulled her whip out, and instructed Virgo to go aid Mira at the front of the fight.

 

“Gemini” Lucy said, authoritatively, and the twins popped out. “Can you please turn into Wendy? I'll need someone to guard my back, and a healer in case of an emergency.”   
  
“Sure thing, Sis!” They said, having taken on the form of Wendy. Now trusting that her back was covered sufficiently, Lucy turned back to the fight.   
  
Mira had worked her way steadily through the throng of kidnappers, but more just kept on coming, and Lucy did her best to keep her from getting hit.   
  
But the numbers were not in their favor, and as the men kept on pouring out from the side rooms and leaving the doors open, Lucy began to hear a horrible sound. The sound of children in distress was heartbreaking, especially in this situation. This infuriated her, and she lashed out at one of the bigger men heading towards a rather ruffled Mira. He was taken down easily with several broken bones.

 

Mira had tried to keep her magic to a minimum, because she was concerned about causing a collapse of the cave, but she too was hearing the cries of children, and her control was slipping. The cavern shuddered as a particularly powerful blast decimated a swath of the kidnappers.   
  
Lucy was very nervous about accidentally causing a collapse in the cave. That was the last thing they needed; rocks falling on their heads. The blasts kept coming, Mira kept on deflecting their blows, and Lucy caught with her whip what her guild sister missed with her fists.

 

This was getting bad, and it was taking too long. Lucy called Gemini to go help Mira, and heal her wounds, while she called Virgo back to her side.

 

“Princess, I don't think we have a choice.” Virgo said, her blue eyes piercing Lucy's honey brown ones. Lucy nodded, she understood that she'd probably have to use one of her unison raids in this mission, but she'd assumed that Loke would be her partner. Not Virgo. They'd practice and perfected the spell and technicalities of it all long ago.   
  
But the earth here was very different from the earth at Jura's cabin, and they had no way of knowing whether or not it would answer their call. But the battle still raged on around them, so they had to try.

 

Both spirit and celestial mage crouched down on the ground, and placed their hands on the ground as well. Then they began to communicate with the earth, and asked it to aide them in their quest to save the lost children. It took quite a bit of coaxing, but eventually they got a response.

 

Jura had told Lucy very early on in their time living together that the earth always had a story to tell, that the reason he was such an accomplished earth mage was because he was always willing to listen to the earth.   
  
And so Lucy did, and what she gleaned from it was that she'd be able to do what she needed.

 

“Ok Virgo, here we go.” Lucy sighed, she was ready for this fight to be over.

 

“Survey the heavens, Open the heavens...

All the stars, far and wide...

Show me thy appearance...

With such shine.   
Oh tetrabiblos...

I am the ruler of the stars...

Aspect become complete...

Open thy malevolent gate.

Oh 88 Stars of the heaven...

Shine!

 

Iustitia de Terra”  
  
Their voices rang out, and the spell activated. Hundreds of rocks flew towards their enemies, crushing them beneath the earthly weight. They groaned in pain, and were immobilized by the addition of Virgo's spica lock. Lucy was incredibly grateful that she'd communicated with the local earth before attempting the spell.

 

She'd learned that these tunnels had been a sacred meeting place hundreds of years ago for all earth mages in Fiore. They would gather once a year and honor their magic. The fact that this had become a child trafficking den had enraged the spirit of the earth, and had added great power to their spell.

 

Lucy panted and leaned against the wall of the cave, that had taken a lot out of her, but she had to keep going.

 

“Mira? Are you okay?” Lucy asked, and a slightly winded but unharmed Mira answered in the affirmative.   
  
“Lucy, we gotta find the kids. Virgo, can you watch _them_?” Mira asked, emphasizing her disgust at the trapped men. The pink haired spirit bowed in response.

 

“Yes. Princess, be safe.” That was all she said before she began tying up the criminals.

 

It wasn't hard to find the room the housed the kids, both by the noise they were making, and by the smell. Both mages braced themselves for what they were about to walk into, but knew that it would be deeply upsetting.

 

They were kept in a small cage in the back of a room, and by the looks of what was on the ground, had been kept there for several weeks at the very least. They were all dirty to some degree, and it was easy to see which ones had been there for longer than others based on relative cleanliness.

 

Most had all huddled into a corner and were sobbing, crying out for their parents, and they all looked very hungry. There were two exceptions, who lay on the floor covered in dirt and excrement.

  
“Mira, we need to get them out. Now.” Lucy turn to Mira, who looked green, but who did her best to nod along.

 

“Hey there, young ones. This might look very scary, but its so I can break the bars okay?” Mira approached them very gently, and smiled her signature heart-warming smile. Unfortunately, the kids didn't seem comforted, so Mira used the rip-off-the-bandaid approach. She transformed into Satan Soul: Halphas, and easily bent the bars of the cage so that several children could come out at a time. Then she reverted back as quickly as possible so as to not frighten them anymore than they already were.  
  
“Aries, could you please come out here?” Lucy asked, sweetly. She wanted to make sure she didn't cause anymore trauma to the young children. She figured that Aries would be the perfect spirit for this task. She arrived with apologies as per usual, but Lucy placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head seriously. “I need a comfortable place to put children who've just experienced an awful lot, and someone who's kind and tender, can you help me with that?”

 

“Yes, of course!” Aries slowly built up a comfortable, pink woolen zone for the children to be placed while they called the Rune Knights.   
  
“Yes, this is an emergency. We broke up a trafficking ring. Yes, you need to be here right now. We're in the outskirts of Hargeon.” Lucy rolled her eyes, it was honorable that they were so respectful of the necessary procedures, but this was not the time. “I will have my spirit Virgo meet you.” Lucy sighed, and then hung up.   
  
“Virgo, I have asked much of you, and I appreciate it, yet we are not quite done. Would you please create a way for the Rune Knights to get here directly from the surface?” Virgo bowed once again, and then tunneled her way up through the cavern up to the surface, allowing for moonlight to filter through.

 

“Mira, can you please help me bring out the sick ones, first?” Lucy asked, her back turned to the eldest takeover mage, but when she turned to look, Mira had already done that. She and Aries began helping them out of the cage, slowly and tenderly with no fast movements.

 

This was wearing on her emotionally more than it was magically, and Lucy took a deep breath in and turned to help Mira with the children. The two who had been unmoving were beginning to slowly wake, but it still didn't look good. They were very thin, and dehydrated, and Lucy began pulling food and supplies from her pack. The children began to clamor for the food, and Lucy portioned it out and handed it out.

 

Aries handled the tentative questions from the kids with grace and kindness, and provided a much needed distraction when the health of one of the two ailing children began to fail. Lucy summoned Gemini again, and had Wendy out in a moment. She poured all the magic she could muster into healing this child and keeping her alive. The child's eyes were open, and Lucy talked to her about how she was being cared for. She kept telling her that she was going to heal her up, and that it was going to be okay. She held the little girl's hand throughout the whole thing. She would give her a little squeeze, and the young girl would give her a squeeze back.

 

But her hand squeezes got weaker and weaker, and Lucy kept on pouring more and more magic into Gemini so she could heal as Wendy.

 

Lucy was still working on her when the Rune Knights arrived, even though the girl had stopped responding to her. Lucy had tears streaming down her face when the Captain of the Squad put a hand on her shoulder. There was nothing more she could do for the dying child, so she gently picked her up and held her close and stroked her greasy, dirty hair. No one should have to experience this, let alone a child.

 

“Ms. Heartfilia. Thank you for your services, all of the other children have been transported to the hospital.” He was a stoic man, but even he had been shaken by this. He had his second in command handle the rest of the logistics with Ms. Strauss, and waited until Lucy stood shakily, still carrying the dead child.

 

“She deserved so much better.” Lucy said, her voice shaking and tears still running down her face.   
  
“That she did, Miss. That she did.” The captain replied, just as horrified as Lucy was.   
  
“And the traffickers? They've all been taken in, yes?” Lucy asked numbly. “Even the two in the hallway? Virgo showed you to them?” The captain nodded, and lead Lucy to his SE vehicle.

 

The ride back was at a hurried pace, Lucy needed to fill out paperwork with Mira, and needed to help arrange post mortem services for the girl she held. There was something about guilds and whatnot, and Lucy was too tired and worn thin to pay attention.

 

The nurses rushed out of the building when they arrived, and tried to take the girl from Lucy, but she shook her head.   
  
“She died about 20 minutes ago.” Lucy sighed, and fresh tears came. She should have done better, acted sooner, been stronger. The nurses bowed their heads in honor of the deceased girl.

 

“Miss, we will take good care of her. Thank you for bringing her to us.” An older nurse, with smile lines along her mouth, said gently. And it was only then that Lucy let go. A younger nurse led her away to a separate entrance to the hospital.   
  
“Miss, we have a shower and clean clothes for you. Your guild mate is waiting.” Lucy went through the motions of showering and dressing, and was then escorted to a room where Mira was waiting. Lucy's older guild mate looked even more shellshocked than she had before.

 

The 2nd in command began briefing them on the situation.   
  
“It turns out you busted more than a trafficking ring, Mages of Fairy Tail. You broke up an experimentation lab. Some of the children you rescued had lacrimas forced into their bodies, others had magical particles injected-” Mira slammed her hands on the table interrupting the vice captain.   
  
“What kind of particles?” She demanded, a new outrage coursing through her mind. The man seemed startled, but turned his head away.   
  
“Its... not entirely sure. They have yet to present the type, and the test results haven't come back yet.” His face was lined with worry and Mira sat back down in her chair and rubbed her temples. Lucy had a pretty good guess at the back of her mind as to why that had rattled Mira. Her own childhood hadn't been easy, and it got exponentially harder when the demon particles in her body stated to manifest.

 

Lucy was rubbing her face, already starting to figure out the logistics. This meant that the children would very shortly be permanently changed into mages, whether they liked it or not. It was a choice they should've been able to make for themselves. Magic was a beautiful experience, it was love incarnate, and it was her way of life. It should never have been forced on them, but it was.   
  
“Sir, any notification of their family members? One of the parents was our client, this is why we were there in the first place.” He nodded his head in the affirmative, and continued on about the details of the case.   
  
“What will we do with the children? They're now mages...” He asked, his tone suggesting that the Rune Knights didn't want to be responsible for them. Mira nudged Lucy's foot under the table, and Lucy nudged back. The silent foot conversation took seconds, but it was clear to both mages what the other was suggesting.   
  
“How about an inter-guild collaboration. Each guild has mages of varying abilities and skill sets, perhaps we place these children under their guidance?” Lucy suggested, counting off the guilds that would accept children in her own head.   
  
“How many?” Mira asked, her voice cracking from the pain of the whole situation.   
  
“21 children were found at the scene, 20 survived, with 1 in critical condition.” Lucy covered her mouth with her hand, and the vice captain went on. “I would assume that Fairy Tail would take several children, and I know there are other guilds...” He trailed off. Lucy knew that tone of voice, her father had used it often when she was a child. She and Mira would now have to sign the legal papers saying that the children at this hospital were in their custody until either their parents came and claimed them, or they were delivered to the designated guild.

 

As if on cue, he opened up a briefcase, and handed Lucy the necessary paper work. She took a quick scan of it, and found nothing fishy. She signed on the dotted line, and then handed the papers to Mira, who also signed on her section. They signed a few more times, and then they were done. Lucy gathered all of her own personal paperwork, so she and Mira stood to leave.

 

“Thank you for debriefing us, Sir.” Lucy said curtly, she extended a hand to the man, and he shook it. Mira followed suit, and then followed Lucy out of the small room.

 

“I need to go to Lamia Scale, and I'll call Sabertooth, will you call Master and see what he can do?” Lucy asked Mira, who didn't answer. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Lucy and cried into her shoulder. Lucy couldn't hold herself back either, and returned the embrace. They stayed like that for several minutes, but they had to let go eventually.

­

 

Lucy made her way through Hargeon in the early morning breeze, the sky lightening but the sun not yet making an appearance. She made her way towards the building that couldn't be anything other than a guild. It was a short walk, and soon Lucy found herself at the large doors of her dear friend's guild. She took a deep breath and knocked loudly. It only took a few minutes for the doors to swing open, and a furious old woman came into view. Her grey hair falling down to her shoulders looked a mess, and she started yelling.

 

“YOU! Its four in the morning, do you want to _spin_?” She roared out of the door at Lucy, who just stared back at her for several moments. The dark circles under her eyes showing in the dim ambient light of the guild.

 

“Ooba Babasaama, I come to you with a serious matter that involves a mission I just complete with my guild mate, Mirajane Strauss.” Lucy said, bowing ever so slight at the waist to show respect. “I'm terribly sorry to have woken you at such an early hour, but it is of the utmost importance.”

 

The older woman relaxed considerably and then just gave in.

 

“Oh very well, you're one of Macky's brats anyway. Come in for some tea. What happened, girl?” She asked, and Lucy explained the basics. She really didn't want to get into details about how bad it really was; she just needed to get the point across, and then what she really wanted was to go to bed. The guild mistress seemed to understand. She didn't push or ask too many questions, she listened and believed Lucy's story.  
  
“I see. Thank you for notifying me of this. You say that are at least 19 children who would need a home?” The elderly guild mistress asked, and Lucy nodded.   
  
“I was thinking of sorting the kids into guilds with mages who could act as mentors through their shared magic. For example, if one of the children is an ice mage, then they'd either come to you, or come with me to Fairy Tail.” Lucy explained it the best she could, and she was eternally grateful that Lamia Scale's guild master seemed to on the same page. “Some of the children have parents, some might not. Those who do not have parents need to be released into guild custody once they are discharged from the hospital.”

 

“Lucy, Lamia Scale will welcome these children in need with open arms. Please give me or Jura a call when you know more.” Ooba Babasaama said with a kindness Lucy had never seen from her. She was grateful that this meeting had gone well. It gave her fortitude to call the next guild master on her list.

 

Lucy found her way back to the hospital, and found Mira in the waiting room. She was holding a very small girl who looked very tired and who kept on dozing off in Mira's arms. Lucy sat down momentarily and squeezed one of Mira's hands to tell her that she was back, and then pulled her lacrima out of her bag and gestured that she was going to make a call.   
  
Sting's angry face came through the lacrima, and he glared at Lucy for a good 15 seconds before speaking.   
  
“What is it.” It was exactly what Lucy had expected of him.   
  
“Sting. We have a situation with magical kids.” Lucy had to remind herself to be patient, that Sting was a master and he was her age. “Mira and I broke up an experimentation lab in Hargeon for a job. Its a long story. Those kids now have been turned into mages without their consent through force. We need to keep them in guilds where they can learn to harness this new power.”   
  
“Oh.” Thats all he said for several moments. “We'll take however many you need us to. Especially light mages!” He grinned at her, and Lucy smiled the most pathetic smile she ever had. It apparently showed, because Sting immediately sobered.   
  


“That bad?” He asked tentatively.   
  
“Worse than you can possibly imagine, Sting.” Lucy responded, and then explained what she could to the young Sabertooth master.

 

“Right, I'll be coming down there now. I'll be there as soon as possible.” He said, and this was the most serious Lucy had ever seen him. She was pleasantly surprised. He said bye, and then hung up to get dressed and out the door of his guild.

 

 

They all sat in the waiting room as anxious parents of the children began to filter through. The social worker for this whole mess was running around with paper work, and having private meetings with the terrified parents. Eventually, all the parents had been squished into the room with Lucy, Mira, and the young child that Mira hadn't let go of.

 

“Now, you've all been separately informed of the private details, but now we all need to discuss guild placement. Ms Heartfilia if you would, please?” And Lucy did, for what felt like the umpteenth time that night. Most of the parents seemed relieved that their children would have a place to learn how to handle this big change in their lives.

 

“What if we can't afford to move to the town of the suggested guild?” One very stressed looking mother asked.

 

“All of the guild masters will be here shortly, they'll be able to work things out with you all.” Mira spoke up, and Lucy was eternally grateful to have someone as even headed as Mira here with her. There were several sighs of relief coming from a great number of the parents.   
  
“There are also many wizards who use similar types of magic. The guild master of Sabertooth is a light dragon slayer, but our guildmaster; Makarov, is also a light mage.” Mira continued to sooth the parents' fears around this whole deal.

 

The guild masters trickled in within minutes of each other, accompanied by their strongest and most reliable mages. Lucy was very grateful to see Jura following Ooba Babasaama, and she almost burst into tears again when her own guild master came walking in the hospital doors.

 

“Lucy, Mira, come here please.” He instructed, and both mages obeyed. Makarov used his magic to grow taller and then wrapped his arms around Lucy, Mira, and the little girl. Both mages took strength and fortitude from the love of their guild master.   
  
Sting and Rogue came in next, followed by Bob, who had brought Hibiki along. Both were wearing fur lined coats and looked emotionally perturbed by this whole ordeal.

 

The parents all bombarded the guild masters with questions about their children's safety, how they'd choose the children for each guild, and how could they possibly handle this situation at all. Lucy and Mira knew that they had this handled, and went for a small break.

 

Lucy sought out the social worker, who gently laid a hand on her shoulder.   
  
“What can I do for you, my dear?” She asked kindly, and Lucy started crying again.   
  
“Can you tell me if the parents of the girl who died showed up? I'd like to talk to them.” Lucy wasn't sure what she wanted to say to them. Maybe she wanted to talk about their daughter's last moments, to tell her parents that she wasn't alone. Maybe she wanted to know more about who that girl had been.

 

“Miss, that poor girl was an orphan...” The social worker looked very sad, but Lucy thanked her, and moved to sit next to Mira.

 

The logistics took another 3 hours to figure out, along with all the papers that needed to be signed, and all the parents who needed to be calmed. Lucy and Mira had both been up for well over 24 hours when it was time for them to be part of the legal nightmare again.

 

“Now, 7 of the children have parents, but the rest are orphans...” Bob said, wiping away a tear with a light blue laced napkin. “That leaves 13 children for us to claim legal guild custody over.”

 

“This one comes with me.” Mira said protectively, wrapping her arms gently around the sleeping girl. Some of the guild masters gave her a funny look for a moment, but Lucy understood perfectly well.   
  
“So, 12 children.” Ooba Babasaama corrected. Makarov nodded, and handed out the paperwork with the list of the orphan's powers. The meeting went on, and Lucy was so tired that she fell asleep on the shoulder of whoever happened to be next to her.  
  
She was awakened by the kind older nurse who had taken the body of the young girl when Lucy had arrived at the hospital.

 

“Miss, the nurses and I are prepared to bury the young girl you brought in last night. I wanted to extend and invitation to you.” Lucy nodded immediately, and sat up from her slumped position in the chair. Jura sat up, too.   
  
“You're not doing that alone, Lucy.” He said, and she nodded gratefully.

 

They followed the nurse out to a lovely garden behind the hospital, where a few other nurses were waiting for them. This was a tragic occasion, and it showed on everyone's face. The head nurse nudged Lucy a little.   
  
“Its okay to say goodbye, if you want. I think she'd like that.” Lucy nodded, a thick lump forming in her throat. She'd been through so much in such a short time period, and was so glad that the nurses had thought of her for this. They'd done a good job of washing the little girl. She wasn't covered in dirt and feces, and her hair had been washed. Lucy gently touched the girls cheek, unhappy with how cold it was.

 

“It shouldn't have been like this. I'm so sorry I couldn't do more. I would've taken you with me back to Fairy Tail if I could have.” Lucy choked up, and fell to her knees. She couldn't contain her anguish at the cruelty that led to this. She couldn't believe that this is how it had turned out. Jura was at her side in an instant, and had pulled her into his chest. He stroked her hair gently, and rubbed her back in soothing circles.   
  
But Jura knew loss, and knew that this would haunt Lucy for a very long time. He looked up at the head nurse and gave a short nod. She understood well; so they closed the lid, and lowered the tiny coffin into the ground.

 

“Lucy...” Jura intoned, gently placing something in her hand. Lucy registered somewhere, far off in her head, that he'd handed her a flower. Right, she was supposed to toss the flower into the grave. So she did. It all felt so unreal to her, how this was the end.   
  
She was only vaguely aware that she was still crying when Jura gently lifted her into his arms. She buried her head into his shoulder, and the world slowly went dark for her as she drifted off to sleep.

 

“Poor miss,” The head nurse said, shaking her head. “I'm glad that she has a good boyfriend like you to take care of her during this emotionally grueling time.” Jura just nodded. He didn't have the heart to tell her that they weren't together. The wonderful nurse didn't need to worry about Lucy's wellbeing, and if believing they were together prevented said worry, then so be it.   
  
He brought Lucy back into the hospital waiting room, where Makarov easily lifted her from the younger Wizard Saint's arms.

 

“Thank you for taking such good care of her, Jura.” Makarov said somberly. Jura nodded and sat back down next to his guild mistress. The meeting dragged on for another 45 minutes, but then miraculously all the papers were signed, all the logistics were figured out, and they could go home.   
  
Makarov was taking home two new brats today, and then would collect the other two when they were released from the hospital.

 

“Excuse me, Master Makarov.” Mira recognized the man calling to her guild master. “I have this for the two mages of yours. It was my job that lead to all of this.”   
  
Makarov shifted Lucy's weight to one shoulder, and reached out a hand towards the father of one of the kids.   
  
He placed a bag of Jewel, and a platinum key in his hand. Makarov hummed to the father, and closed his hand around the reward. Mira had her hands full with two very small children, who seemed to feel very attached and comfortable with her.

 

“Thank you, sir for following through on your payment.” Makarov said kindly, and the father bowed slightly in return. He then went back to his daughter's hospital room to spend time with her.

 

 

Lucy, Mira, and the two young girls slept on the train all the way back to Magnolia. Makarov started waking his brats before they arrived at the station, and Mira woke easily enough. Lucy seemed to be having a slight nightmare and Makarov had to shake her shoulders to get her up.   
  
“Jura-!” Lucy's voice stalled when she realized that it was her guild master who had woken her, not Jura. “Oh, sorry about that.” She felt a little embarrassed by that accident, but it faded when she realized that she was back in Magnolia.

 

“We're home, Lucy. We should get the kids to the guild so they can eat, and get their stamps on. They are our responsibility now.” Makarov said, and gently lifted one of the children in his arms. Mira did the same, and they all hopped off the train.

 

The kids adapted well to being in a guild, and they were especially fond of the Strauss siblings. Something that Lisanna was beyond thrilled with, as she confessed to Lucy and Levy one night at the guild. They'd all gathered in their favorite corner, surrounded by books and drank Cana's favorite rum drink.

 

“Well, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to have kids because of my fall on that one mission...” Lisanna trailed off, a sadness taking place in her eyes that Lucy hadn't seen in a long time. “I know Bixy will want kids at some point, too.”

 

Levy nodded sagely, and Lucy looked over at her friend's boyfriend. Bixlow was playing with one of the girls, who was giving him rare smile and had began to giggle. Mira was holding the other girl, who was snuggled into her shoulder and was playing with her long, silver locks.   
  
“Yeah, I see what you mean Lis. Bixlow is a little bit like Jura, just a natural dad type.” Lucy laughed as the girl pulled at his thick blue hair.

 

“See? I don't know if I'll ever be able to give him that...” Lisanna sighed, she had always wanted to be a mom.

 

“I don't think it really matters to Bixlow whether they're born to you or adopted, as long as you two would be parents together.” Levy comforted her dear friend, and felt a heaviness in her own heart. She and Laxus still hadn't spoken since her blunder at his house. She missed him, and she missed sleeping next to him.

 

The conversation went on for quite some time before Lisanna and Lucy exchanged glances. Levy was staring off into space again, but Lucy had a sneaking suspicion that she was looking for the big slayer.

 

“You know Levy, you could always go talk to him.” Lisanna smiled kindly, and laid a hand on her friends shoulder. Lucy nodded in agreement.

 

“Yeah, he really cares about you.” Lucy added, and Levy's face brightened, and then she blushed deeply. She took a large gulp of her rum, coughed a bit, and then stood up.   
  
“I am going to go sort this out.” Levy stood up resolutely, and marched her way up to Laxus' office, where he was no doubt knee deep in paperwork.

 

Lisanna and Lucy started giggling, and then clinked their glasses together and then took a big drink. Lis felt a tug at her side and looked down to see the little girl with darker hair at her side. The one Bixlow had been playing with a few minutes earlier.

 

“Up!” She insisted, and Lisanna obliged immediately, lifting the girl into her lap. She was an unusual child, but was loved none the less. She was staring at Lucy intently, and Lucy smiled back. The little girl then pointed at her.   
  
“Lucy.” Then she pointed at herself. “Lucy.”

 

“Is that your name, sweetheart?” Lucy asked gently, hoping to coax more words out of the young girl. She nodded shyly, but didn't say more. They'd discovered that both girls were very shy and quiet, and Lucy didn't blame them. They had been through an awful lot, and it made sense.   
  
“Bixlow!” Lisanna cried, cradling the little girl in her arms. He sauntered over, and Lisanna tearfully recounted the story to him, and he looked like his heart had melted over how adorable it was. Lucy eyed the door to Laxus' office, hoping things were going well for Levy.   
  
“Levy. Hi.” Laxus was a little shocked to see the small woman in his office, but he wasn't unhappy about it.   
  
“I'm sorry.” Levy looked at the ground, and couldn't even look at his feet. She felt foolish for this whole thing. What was she even doing here in the first place?

 

“Hey, look its okay. It was an accident.” Laxus knew she wasn't ready to talk about what it really meant, so he switched the topic. “Are you sleeping well?”   
  
Levy shook her head, of course she hadn't been sleeping well. Not only was she still struggling with the same issues as before this whole kissing fiasco, but she was now anxious about what it meant, and who knew about her blunder.

 

“Well, you're always welcome at my house.” Laxus murmured, flipping through some documents. “Or I'm sure Lucy would happily have you.”

 

“Thanks Laxus... You know, you should come down and say hi to the kids.” She suggested, looking for something to talk about. She didn't want to leave just yet.   
  
“Once I'm done with this paperwork, I will. They're pretty cute.” Laxus grinned at Levy, and she couldn't help but smile back. He was absolutely gorgeous, and that scared the bejesus out of her. How did this happen to her? She didn't feel ready for all of this romance-attraction stuff yet. The realization hit her hard, and suddenly she felt like the office was getting smaller and smaller.   
  
“Thanks again, Laxus. I'll see you downstairs.” Levy left the office, feeling less confused about the kiss, but more confused about their strange relationship.

 

She plopped down in the seat she'd vacated, and grumbled into her drink. Bixlow had raised his eyebrows at her, noting how bummed she looked. He wasn't an idiot; he'd just seen her slip out of his dear friend's office, but Levy looked so miserable that he had to ask.  
  
“Whats up, Levy?” He inquired genuinely, hoping to help his girlfriend's best friend.   
  
“Men are weird. Did you know that?” Levy grumbled towards him, and Bixlow burst out laughing.   
  
“Uh yep, you're not wrong there. Anything in particular?” He asked kindly, but Levy knew she couldn't talk to him about it. Laxus was one of his best friends, and he would just tease the Laxus about it endlessly.   
  
“Thanks Bix, but I can't talk about it right now.” He didn't look convinced by this, but Levy knew he'd let it go.

 

Little Lucy had crawled into his lap, and was giggling and pulling at his cheeks. He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her tenderly. He knew what it was like to have been starved for love as a kid, as he himself hadn't had any real affection from his caretakers when he was growing up. He would make sure to give as much love and attention to all the kids they took in from the atrocity that had been committed against them.   
  


“Are you hungry, Lucy?” He was careful to be gentle and kind with her, but he couldn't let her basic needs go unnoticed because she was too shy to ask. She responded with a non-committal humming noise, but that was enough for both Lisanna and Bixlow to know.   
  
Levy and Lucy couldn't help but watch as the peaceful scene unfolded in front of them. Bixlow and Lis feeding little Lucy was just too cute. Lisanna was trying not to cry at how cute the little girl was, and Bixlow was trying not to cry at how cute Lisanna was with little Lucy.

 

“Its been a long time since I've seen Lis this happy.” Mira said as she sat down next to Lucy with the other girl, who'd barely uttered a word since they brought her to the guild. “Can you tell me why they're crying though? I'm a little bit confused.”   
  
“Well... they discovered the girl's name. It turns out she's also a Lucy, and they've started calling her little Lucy.” Levy explained matter of factly. Mira turned to Lucy and grinned. She understood full well now why everyone was happy crying over the kid. She was just too cute for words.

 

Days went by, and the guild as a whole were very charmed by the two girls they'd taken in, and were very excited by the other two children who would soon be joining them. Lucy watched the guild go through this excitement about the kids, but felt a deep pain in her own heart. Her arms felt empty, and she knew that the unnamed little girl should have been there with her. But she wasn't. She was dead, and it broke Lucy's heart every day.

 

“Hey.” There was a nudge at Lucy's side, and she looked up the see that the culprit was Bixlow. He had a look of understanding on his face that comforted Lucy. “You got a few minutes? There are some things I wanna talk about.”

 

“Yeah, sure. Lets take a walk.” Lucy mumbled, disheartened by how things had all gone the past few weeks. The trauma of it all was catching up to Lucy.   
  
“First, well, women talk. Mira told Lis, Lis told me.” Bixlow started, and Lucy's shoulders dropped as he started. “There are very few people in this guild who've held someone while they died, Lucy. You, Erza, and me.” He turned to face her, and put both his hands on her shaking shoulders. He'd never seen Lucy look so heartbroken, so defeated, so hopeless.

 

“I keep blaming myself, Bix. If only I'd...” Lucy trailed off, the pain evident in her face. She turned and kept walking around the back yard of the guild. She felt a heavy arm on her shoulder. “And you know whats the worst part? I was actually excited about this mission. I earned a key from it, but I feel so undeserving of it.”   
  
“Look, it takes time to get through this stuff. But keeping yourself from making new friends has never been like you, Lu.” Bixlow gently admonished. He knew that the best thing for him had been to honor his grief, but to continue forward. “Do you have the key with you here? Lets do this together.” His suggestion went well with his totems, who chirped and repeated his words excitedly. One landed on Lucy's head and another on her shoulder.

 

Lucy pulled a polished titanium key out of her key-pouch, and stared at it in the palm of her hand. The cost of this key had been more than Lucy had ever imagined. She wasn't sure it was worth it. But Bixlow nudged her with his elbow, and gave her the sternest look she'd ever seen on the man.

 

“I open thee, Gate of Venenum, Cassiopeia” Lucy chanted, her magic flowing around her. A beautiful woman in a green dress stepped forward. She had black liner winged out, red lipstick, and was incredibly elegant.

 

“And you must be Lucy Heartfilia.” She spoke with a sultry and silky smooth tone, a wide smile adorning her painted lips.   
  
“I am, and I would like to make a contract with you. That said, if you do not wish to, I will hold onto your key and pass it to a worthy celestial mage when I see her next.” Lucy intoned, and the spirit raised an eyebrow.   
  
“Oh, no I think I would very much like to work with you. I've heard things from the others.” She smiled widely, and though Lucy saw warmth in her eyes, she also recognized the warning in her smile. This spirit was not to be crossed.

 

“Excellent. I'm sorry you're meeting me in such a state. Your key came into my possession through a rough situation.” Lucy explained her puffy, bloodshot eyes and slightly tearstained cheeks. Cassiopeia waved her hand dismissively.   
  
“Your beauty is undeniable, dear. Is there anything you'd like to ask me? You see, I have a question I'd very much like to ask you.” There was that smile again, but with more warmth and kindness.

 

“Mostly what your magic and availability is. Additionally, you're more than welcome to spend time with me outside of combat. All of my spirits are welcome most of the time.” And her new spirit relaxed visibly when she heard Lucy say this.

 

“I mostly use poison, and I can either inject it with my fingernails, or I can shoot it into their eyes, mouth, you name it, as a projectile. And... will we ever create a unison raid together?” There was excitement and hope in the spirit's eyes now, and Lucy nodded in the affirmative.

 

Bixlow watched on, and knew that Lucy would move past this. She was strong and capable,   
  
The kids loved Cassiopeia, which came as a surprise to Lucy. Her new spirit took it all in stride, and wiped the extra food that had somehow managed to stick itself to the still unnamed child's cheek. Bixlow watched on carefully as Little Lucy played with Cassiopeia's hair, tangling it dreadfully. She tried not to flinch as the girl tugged and twisted her hair, and so Bixlow decided it was time to step in. He gently reprimanded Little Lucy who looked momentarily embarrassed, but they worked through it. She and Cassiopeia worked to untangle the hair, and a friendship was born.

 

“He is such a dad, Lis.” Levy teased her close friend, who laughed heartily and smiled lovingly at the Seith mage. She was really lucky to have found such a loving partner, and seeing him be the parent to this little girl made her love him more than she thought was possible.

 

They spent the rest of the morning with relative ease and joy being with the kids. Lucy and Mira had spent a great deal of time making lunch for them, and then continued to watch as Lisanna and Bixlow doted upon Little Lucy.

 

“Its only a matter of time before she's calling them 'mom' and 'dad', isn't it?” Lucy asked Mira, who felt a lurch at the back of her stomach. She remembered when the three of them had come to the guild as children, when they thought they'd lost Lisanna, and her return. It was hard for her to realize now that her little sister was an adult.   
  
“You're probably right, Lucy. Its hard for me though, because I remember her as a little girl. Now she's got a little girl.” Mira looked slightly forlorn for a moment, but then the girl who hadn't left her side decided she needed attention, and Mira scooped her up and held her close.

 

Both mages got lost in the conversation about raising the kids, and who they would live with, and all the other messy stuff that came with taking care of children. Erza joined in the conversation, wanting to be filled in on everything that needed to be done. She had been out on a mission and was only now learning of the whole situation. She was a little awkward around kids, but Mira's girl seemed very interested in Erza's armor. She traced the cross on her breastplate and tapped at it to hear what sound it made.

 

“She likes you, Erza.” Mira smiled at the little girl, and Lucy was outright delighted.

 

“Whats her n-” Erza's sentence was cut off when the guild doors burst open and flames licked the floor.   
“I'm back!” Natsu yelled into the room, his boisterous energy filling the entire guild. Mira rubbed her temples in response, and Lucy groaned.

 

The girls panicked. Little Lucy started crying and ran to Lisanna, hiding behind her back. The unnamed girl froze on the spot, she wanted to run and hide, but her body wouldn't move. Erza scooped her up against her hard armor, and she wrapped her arms around Erza's neck.

 

“Natsu, tone it down!” Lucy yelled at him, as he set fire to one of the guild benches.

 

“Oh c'mon Luce, you've gotten boring! You never let me have fun anymore.” Natsu whined like a child.   
  
“Things have changed. You need to at least act like an adult.” Lucy glared at him. Natsu glared back. This was becoming a bad fight.

 

“C'mon Erza, don't you even think Lucy is being too harsh?” Natsu wanted a get-out-of-jail-free card, and he hoped Erza would be the one to hand it to him.

 

“Alright Natsu, thats enough. Lets talk outside.” Lucy walked forward, grabbed him by the collar of his coat, and pulled him outside.

 

Everyone heard the yelling. Natsu was furious that Lucy was being a killjoy. Lucy was enraged that Natsu would put his own selfish desires over the wellbeing of children who needed safety. The guild hoped that things blew over, but then they heard a thump and Lucy yelling even louder.   
  
Little Lucy was scared, but had safely nestled herself in between Lisanna and Bixlow. Mira's girl had wrapped her arms around Erza's neck and was crying hysterically, and this enraged Mira. She knew that the younger girl would be in good hands with Erza, who saw her line of thinking and nodded.

 

Lucy was angrier than she'd been in a very long time, but the fact that her old parter, and dear friend had just tried to punch her in the face had intensified that rage. He was now ranting and raving about the fun they used to have when they were younger. Lucy tried to answer when the guild doors flew open, and Satan Soul: Halphas came storming out.

 

“Did. You. Hit. Your. Guild mate?” Mira ground out, staring coldly at the dragon slayer. He looked like he was about to shit a brick.   
  
“He tried, but I dodged his punch.” Lucy stated, grateful that Mira had arrived. Much to her surprise, she picked up an angry and struggling Natsu by the back of his coat and stormed back into the guild with him up to Makarov's office.

 

Lucy took several stabilizing breaths and then heard more yelling coming from inside the guild. Things had been so up and down, and she was reminded once again as to why she preferred to stay with Jura. She got lost in her own mind, and didn't notice Gray until he was right in front of her, calling her name.   
“Lucy are you okay? Lucy?” Lucy reacted at the second call of her name.   
  
“What, sorry?” She asked, and this worried him.   
  
“Is everything okay? You seem very shaken and pale.” His cold hands were on her shoulders, and for the second time that day, Lucy broke down crying. She told him everything, including the altercation between her and Natsu. Gray just listened. He didn't offer advice or try to fix things for her. Gray knew what it was like to feel this type of guilt.

 

“C'mon Luce, lets get you a drink.” And so he did. He seated her next to Laxus and brought over a drink that smelled heavily of gin and elderflower. He hoped it'd lift Lucy's spirit just a little, because he was really worried about.

 

The next few days passed without much hassle, although Natsu got a stern talking to by gramps, and he had to apologized profusely to Lucy. She'd also given him a necessary hard truth that to her surprise, he took well. He needed to grow up, just a little. They had a sweet heart to heart conversation, which ended in a high five and a hug. It left Lucy feeling a little bit more at ease knowing that her friendship with Natsu was on the mend.

 

It wasn't until Lucy and Mira had been called up to the Master's office did she realize that she'd have to go back to Hargeon to collect the other two children who were being released into guild custody. She knew she had to be there, but she was dreading this. The pain was still incredibly fresh for her. The little girl who had died in her arms haunted her dreams some nights, crying out in pain in her last moments. Other nights, she smiled serenely at Lucy, and would stretch her arms out towards her.   
  
Those were the worst mornings to wake up, because Lucy would realize that the moment she opened her eyes, the girl would disappear. This had been one of those mornings. It was cold and windy, and Christmas was just around the corner. Mira and Lucy had done most of their Christmas shopping already, but Lucy just couldn't get into the spirit of the season. It seemed, though, that she had a companion in the lack of joy. Makarov seemed worn thin and exhausted, and Lucy worried for him.

 

The train bumped along, and Lucy braced herself for a trying day. They'd collect two more children, and fill out an inordinate amount of paperwork once again. She hoped she could visit the grave of the girl she'd failed to save, but knew that there might not be time for that. This was not a leisure trip.

 

They'd arrived in good time, and Mira and Lucy signed where they needed to on all the papers. Makarov was left to the rest of it, muttering to himself about how he had enough paperwork to last him seven lifetimes.

 

“You know, I wish he'd find another mage to take his spot. Laxus is probably the best choice.” Lucy said, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was beginning to see just how much stress her guild master went through on a day to day basis. She made a note at the back of her mind to talk about this with the old man as soon as possible.

 

The chaos of the hospital and the paper work left Lucy feeling very drained. She knew she needed to visit the girl's grave, but she felt resistance in herself about it. She knew it would be painful, and that confronting that pain yet again would also help her in the long run. Mira gently gripped her hand, gave her a sidelong look, and told her to go.

 

Lucy made her way to the little cemetery behind the hospital. She was expecting to feel grief, not surprise, she was expecting pain, not appreciation. But she didn't get what she was expecting.

 

Jura was sitting by the headstone, talking to the grave of the girl. Lucy couldn't help but stop, stare and listen. She was stunned that he was even here.

 

“You know, Lucy would have taken you with her. She misses you a lot, I can tell by how hard she is grieving for you.” Jura paused for a moment, adjusting his overcoat and sighing unhappily. “She probably would have adopted you. And I would have made sure she wasn't alone in doing so.”

 

Lucy had tears running down her face listening to what he had to say. She felt a wave of gratitude hit her, and then one of sorrow. She padded her way over to Jura, and hugged him from behind. He was momentarily startled, but he glanced over his shoulder and saw Lucy's messy blonde hair.

 

“Did you mean it?” Lucy sputtered out, still crying into the back of his overcoat. She clung to him in her pain, and he gently encased one of her considerably smaller hands in one of his large hands.   
  
“Of course.” It was all she needed to hear. It was all so confusing for her, but knowing that Jura would've stood by her no matter what was all she needed to know.

 

“I make a promise to you, Jura, that you will always have me as a friend. No matter where you are in the world. This friendship is for life.” Lucy promised him. She was a celestial mage, she never broke her promises. Jura knew this.   
  
“And I make that same promise to you, Lucy.” He didn't need to say more, and Lucy knew what she meant. They were so comfortable with one another, and even though Lucy could feel things changing, she still knew that no matter what, Jura was one of the most trustworthy people she'd ever had the pleasure of knowing. And she trusted him completely.

 

Jura turned around and pulled Lucy into his chest, and gently stroke her hair. Little did he know, but this unleashed the floodgates of Lucy's guilt and fear.

 

“If I'd been a stronger mage, I could've saved her. If I'd found Inari the legendary fox key, I'd have been able to save her. I'm sure of it. I failed.” Lucy wept fully. It was an ugly cry, filled with grief and sorrow and guilt. “I feel so badly, because I've taken you away from your guild. Your way of life, and then it was all for nothing. I could've done more.” Lucy choked out, her tears still falling freely.

 

“Lucy, you saved Levy, and you saved 20 other children. You are not a failure.” Jura murmured into her ear, and stroked her hair tenderly. “And living with you and watching your magic evolve has been nothing but a joy. I promise you that.”   
  
Jura stroked Lucy's hair and hummed a song he remembered from his childhood. His voice was quiet and low, and it lulled Lucy into a deep sleep. The grief had prevented her from sleeping well, but the safety and warmth of Jura's arms had soothed Lucy's mind.

 

“Every time I see you two together, you have my dear celestial mage in your arms.” Makarov said cheerily. He stood behind Jura grinning broadly.

 

“Don't read into it, Makarov.” Jura was not in the mood to mentally entertain all that the Fairy Tail master was insinuating. He didn't dare.

 

“Oh, I haven't the faintest clue as to what you're talking about!” His demeanor was almost infuriatingly joyous. “We are leaving in twenty minutes. Please wake her before then. The last time we were here, she woke up on the train saying your name. See you in twenty minutes.”   
  
Makarov turned and almost skipped out of the cemetery. Jura watched him go, and didn't think about it. He refused to consider the possibility.

 

“Lucy... its time to wake up.” Jura gently shook Lucy's shoulder. She groaned and snuggled closer into his chest. Jura gave himself a nanosecond to enjoy her affection, and then resumed the task of waking his dear friend. It took several tries before she woke, and when she did it was with a groan.

 

“I don't wanna get up. Can I go back to sleep?” Jura damn near said yes to a very sleepy Lucy, but he couldn't.

 

He walked her back to Makarov, and accepted her gentle hug at the time of the goodbyes. He watched them leave the hospital, and did he best to ignore the growing truth inside him. Being around Lucy was the best part of his day. He loved his guild, no doubt about it, but he was looking forward to being back in his cabin with her.

 

He was in a daze when the nurse came to him to tell him that two children were ready to be released into his guild's custody. It took her waving a hand in front of his face to get him out of his train of thought.

 

He went through the motions of it all while trying not to acknowledge the elephant in his head. He would not think about holding her in the cemetery, or carrying her to Makarov the time before. He wouldn't think about all the times they'd cooked dinner together, or the feeling of contentedness and affection that accompanied the acts.   
  
He would work through this, as he did with everything else.

 

 

And that is Chapter 11! I'd appreciate it if you all did the review thing, I love getting feedback.

 


	12. 12

Right, here we go. Time for some stuff to happen. Thanks so much to all the reviewers from last chapter, and for sticking with this lovely but unusual story.   
  
  
Christmas was in the air, and the children were counting down the days until their first Christmas as part of the guild. The guild was bustling with even more activity than usual, and some were doing last minute shopping in a panicked state.

 

They'd all gathered in the guild hall, covered in tinsel and glitter, and had thrown all of it at one of the two big trees that stood on either side of the dining area. They cheered loudly when they'd all tossed their glittery bounty on the bottom foot of the tree. All of the slayers flinched a little at the noise increase, but smiled none-the-less. The children were filled with nothing but joy and excitement.

 

Part of this was Mira's fault; she had really hyped up what Christmas and Hanukkah were really all about. All of the gifts they'd receive would be wrapped in pretty paper, and they could unwrap it all in one go.   
  


They'd all really started opening up after hearing this, something that made Lucy and Laxus laugh loudly. Mira had become even more besotted with the girl who she'd taken from the hospital. She’d finally started talking a few days ago, and Mira’s heart had melted when she’d been told her name.

  
  


They called her Lea, for short, but her full name was Azalea. She was also the first to manifest her magic, and suddenly her connection to Mira made all the most sense. She had been injected with demon particles, and her demon had manifested. It had been a sunny day, and the kids had all been playing out in the street in front of the guild. A passerby had accidentally knocked one of the other kids down, and Lea had perceived it as an attack. Suddenly a small demon was in the street, and a dark green cloud had surrounded her. The commotion hadn't been loud enough for the mages in the guild hall to hear, except for one. Natsu's head popped up, and the smell of decay hit his nose. He'd bolted out of the guild, prepared to fight whatever creature was trying to attack the guild, but instead he'd come face to face with a growling demon child and a very scared civilian who was slowly backing away from the group of children. Mira had followed suit, and she quickly gathered up the little girl in her arms when she saw Lea using magic. She knew exactly what magic she had, and Mira got straight to work researching how to help Lea grow with her ever evolving magic.   
  
Merihem was the demon of pestilence and poison. And this little girl had been immersed in her powers.

Mira’s protectiveness grew exponentially after this discovery.

  
She would have people who didn't know better calling her a monster, or trying to harm her. Mira would do anything to keep that from happening, especially in her early years.   
  
“Mira, Mira!” She was calling her, and Mira realized she wanted up. She was still a small child, and needed a lot of nutrition. And cuddles. Lea demanded cuddles a lot now that she was talking; she was, in fact, quite the talker now. She handed Lea some fresh fruits, and smiled as the girl enjoyed food fully. There was no fear in her eyes, or hesitation, just pure joy at the flavors and textures of the fruits. She had a mouth full of fig, and all was right in the world of little Lea.   
  
“Auntie!” A little bit of fig came spraying out of her small mouth, and Mira tsk'd. Her annoyance shifted when she realized it was Levy that Lea was calling “auntie”. The guild as a whole had been calling each other by “auntie” or “uncle” when talking to the kids. Everyone had decided the best way to reinforce the idea that guild meant family was to refer to everyone with a familial title.

Lea reached her hands out to her aunt Levy, and repeated the word “auntie” while waving her little hands about.

Mira watched as Levy reached her hands out and picked the girl up. She wasn't a toddler by any stretch of the imagination, and Levy had to balance herself very carefully, but she did it. She made sure Lea was well supported, and then started feeding the young girl more figs.

Laxus and Lucy leaned against the balcony of the 2nd floor watching the scene unfold. Lucy's heart melted a little watching Levy take more steps forward in moving on with her life. She looked so happy holding little Lea.

“Oh this must be killing you.” Lucy said, and nudged Laxus' side. The older mage had a faint smile on his face, and looked more peaceful than Lucy had ever seen him look.

“Its not the easiest thing, no. But she finally looks happy.” He trailed off, and turned his back to the scene and leaned against the railing, and rolled his eyes at the giddiness that was apparent in Lucy's. He lightly punched her shoulder, and Lucy returned the gesture. The big slayer laughed, threw and arm over her shoulder and guided them both down the stairs.

“Right, well we can talk about this stuff tonight.” Lucy said, and then cut Laxus off as he was about to talk. “And this is my treat this time. No arguing.”

Laxus rolled his eyes, but eventually agreed. He enjoyed his time with Lucy, she was much like Mira in that she didn't revere him the way the rest of his team did, and he was really looking forward to their meetup this evening. He knew he could trust Lucy with information he wouldn't tell anyone else, except his gramps, but that was pushing it.

“Auntie Lucy!” Little Lucy ran at her auntie with full force and slammed into the celestial mage's legs. She was an excitable little girl, but she didn't know her own strength sometimes.

“Lucy! What do you say when you hurt someone?” Lucy had never heard Bixlow sound so stern before. But it seemed that he had taken on the mantle of “dad” in full force. Lisanna had noticed it too, and she was doing her level best not to giggle.

“Sorry auntie, I'll be more careful next time.” Lucy gentle picked up the little girl at her request.

“Its okay sweetheart, I understand.” Little Lucy snuggled into her big aunt Lucy's shoulder and sighed happily. But something changed, and Lucy felt the girl tense up in her arms a little bit. Before Lucy had the chance to ask, she heard a little voice come from over her left ear.

“Hi uncle.” Her voice was timid and a little shaky, but there was an undercurrent of courage in her voice that Lucy couldn't deny. But then, Little Lucy snuggled back into her shoulder and hid her face. Lucy turned and saw that Laxus was the scary uncle that Little Lucy had said hello to.

“Does uncle Laxus scare you a little bit? Its okay if he does.” Lucy whispered into her ear, and she received a small nod and a little sniff. She then beckoned Laxus over. Bixlow tried to intervene, but Lisanna stopped him.

“She's gotta understand who's safe, and who'll protect her should we be unable to.” Lisanna whispered, and Bixlow begrudgingly accepted her words to be the truth. It was a truth he didn't like, seeing as he'd become quite attached to Little Lucy, but a necessary truth. It wasn't that he didn't trust Laxus, but she'd been through so much and still struggled. He didn't want her to be further traumatized.

“Lucy, uncle Laxus might seem scary, but he's one of the strongest mages I know. He is safe.” Lucy whispered into her namesake's ear again, reassuring her by securing her arms around the girl a little tighter.

She lifted her head from Lucy's shoulder and looked at Laxus, who did his best to look somewhat friendly. Lucy nodded and Laxus approached the two Lucys very slowly. Little Lucy started to hide back into Lucy's shoulder, but Lucy the elder placed a steadying hand on her back.

Laxus was within arms reach of the duo, but he stopped and put out a hand instead. He left it in the air close enough for Little Lucy to grab onto should she choose to.

It took a few minutes but she did. His hand was much larger than hers, and his had callouses on them from years of mage work. But she grabbed into to a few fingers and held on hard. Lucy could tell that the girl was still nervous, but Laxus was surprisingly good with kids. His patience paid off as well, as Little Lucy made wiggling motions in Lucy's arms.

“Do you want uncle Laxus to hold you?” Lucy asked quietly, fully aware that this might be the end of their introduction. But she was pleasantly surprised when Little Lucy nodded and gave her a toothy smile.

Levy caught sight of this, and felt a twinge of jealousy. They were such beautiful people, and looked really good together. She tried to put it in the back of her mind, and reminded herself that Lucy was her dear friend, but jealousy and envy was eating at her soul. They looked like a family, especially after what she'd seen with Lucy, little Lucy, and Laxus.

Lisanna, Bixlow, and Lucy all sat back, ignorant of their guild mate's struggles, and watched as Laxus did his guild duties of updating the mission board, going through the financial documents that Mira needed to order new foodstuffs for the guild kitchen, and making sure everything was in order.

All with a Little Lucy in one arm, and a pen in another.

That is how they spent the rest of their day. Doting on the children they'd taken into their guild and into their hearts. Lucy did notice that Lisanna and Bixlow had snuck off in the middle of the day while Little Lucy was attached to Laxus like velcro. They came back about an hour later looking very satisfied. Several guild members teased them, but Lisanna happily leaned against Bixlow on the bench they were sharing and ignored it all. She was truly happy, and it had her thinking about the hell she'd been in before Lucy had seen her. Now Lucy was providing happiness and security to the light of her life. Lisanna couldn't be happier that Little Lucy was learning comfort with other men in the guild.

But night was falling, and the little ones needed to be fed and put to bed. They also needed to find a way to detach Little Lucy from Laxus. She'd fallen asleep cradled in his arm for her afternoon nap, and she was reluctant to leave his steady and calming presence.

Lisanna, however, managed to coax her down from her perch, to the dinner table, and then into bed.

“Lets get going, Lucy. We wanna beat the rush.” Laxus motioned towards the door while stretching the muscles in his left arm.

“I am going to get the soup again.” Lucy grinned up at her good friend. He let out a deep chuckle and out the door they went.   
  
Levy had a slightly envious and upset look in her eye at the two interacting. Lucy's eyes were bright and engaged, and Laxus looked relaxed and genuinely happy. Would she ever have that sort of relationship with him? Would he ever look at her with such ease and joy in his face? It left Levy feeling useless and unimportant and unlovable. She still tried to fight back her feelings, swallow her envy, but it was hard.   
  
She realized that she couldn't talk to anyone about this. They'd tell her she was either crazy and ridiculous for feeling how she did, or they'd agree with her that Laxus and Lucy were well suited. Once again, Levy felt so very alone and unworthy.

Little did Levy know, but ever since Lucy had pulled her disappearing act, the guild had changed for the better. She had been too absorbed in her personal struggles to see the changes that had happened, and the new friendships that had formed.

  
  


The bistro was bustling, but they managed to get a small booth tucked into a quiet corner of the restaurant. The wine flowed, and the conversation was boring at first. Guild business.

“So, how are things on your end? I know filling in the gaps that gramps leaves is tiring.” Lucy changed the topic, unabashedly prying into Laxus' personal life.   
  
“Bullshit, thats not what you wanna know.” Laxus retorted, laughing heartily over his steak. Lucy grinned sheepishly, knowing she'd been caught in her attempt of politeness.   
  
“Fine. So lets talk Levy.” Lucy put it bluntly, grin still firmly in place. “When are you gonna talk to her about, oh you know, everything?” Laxus rolled his eyes at this.   
  
“Its gonna be a while, she's still really freaked out about her own place in the guild.” Laxus leaned back into the booth. “She came up to my office to apologize for kissing my cheek. You should've seen how scared she looked just being there.”

“She's gonna be fighting this for a while. No one can bring her out of this, either.” Lucy sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

“She's got people she can lean on though. And if she isolates, you know damn well that Lisanna will drag her out of it if she has to.” Laxus wasn't great at comforting people, but he did his best to reassure Lucy that Levy wouldn't wallow in her own pain and self doubt.

“Yeah, I believe she'll get through this, and that you two will get together.” Lucy nodded sagely to herself. She had a feeling that Levy would be the first in the guild to get married.

“Right, of course you do, Ms Matchmaker.” Laxus teased lightly, but Lucy knew he was right and laughed along with it. She was becoming like Mira. Silence fell as they both indulged in the gourmet cooking of the evening, but a few minutes later Laxus broke the silence with his own thoughts.

“I gotta ask, but... Jura?” Laxus posed the question in the man's name, but Lucy understood what he meant. He was asking whether or not they were together, and what Lucy felt about the great wizard saint.

“I don't know, Laxus. At first it was just, we were friends and roommates. But then we had to go get Wendy and Chelia from a failed mission, and then the thing with the kids...” Lucy trailed off, looking simultaneously hopeful and confused.

She poured her heart out in the next few minutes, talking quickly and in a slightly panicked tone. She talked about her stress at holding everyone's issues on her own shoulders, and how much being around Jura was soothing and wonderful, but confusing at the same time. How much she missed going on missions and being with her own guild.

“But at the end of the day, I've found that I always want to end up next to him.” Lucy sighed, and rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying not to cry.

“And your issue is that he's your roommate, is from a different guild, and you're not sure how long this set up can last.” Laxus filled in, as Lucy tried to dab the tears away from the corners of her eyes.

“Exactly.” Lucy responded quietly. Laxus wouldn't have heard her had he not had good, magically enhanced hearing.

“I don't know what to say, Lucy. You're definitely stuck between a rock and a hard place.” Laxus and Lucy both chuckled at the similarities between their situations, and Laxus went on. “But ultimately, you'll know when its time to try and bridge the gap that seems to be present in your relationship.”

Dinner went on with more conversation about working through the struggles of life, how the guild would handle the kids, and hopefully Laxus taking over for his grandfather. He was becoming more and more ready for the job of it all, but feeling less and less ready. This made Lucy laugh brightly, and Laxus shook his head and chuckled at the irony of it.

Lucy snuck back into Mira's small home, hoping not to wake her. Instead, she found her up at the little kitchen table, reading a book and sipping a cup of tea. She looked like she was trying to keep her composure, and Lucy was immediately nervous.   
  
“Hey Mira, is everything okay?” Lucy asked tentatively, almost scared of potentially having to deal with Satan Soul.  
  
“Everything is fine. You're fine, Lucy. The guild sometimes stresses me out.” The intense smile never left Mira's face, and Lucy's nervousness around her temporary roommate hadn't dissipated.

“Mira what happened?” Lucy couldn't not press the issue, part of her was curious, the other part completely perplexed.   
  
Mira's book snapped shut, and she stared Lucy down for a moment before deciding it was a good idea to tell her.

“My dear sister is upset, because your friend is upset with you and she had to listen to her drivel.” Mira's smiling was almost blinding. Her lips had pulled up past her gum line and she was showing all of her perfectly white teeth.

“Okay, which friend, why are they upset?” Lucy pried just a little bit more, and Mira slammed down her book.  
  
“Apparently, Levy saw you and Laxus leaving the guild together and decided that meant you two were fucking or something, and lost her shit and has start saying you've betrayed her or something. Its exhausting.” Mira went to fully standing and furious to sitting down and exhausted by the end of her two sentences.

“She... what?” Lucy's voice was so filled with disbelief. Levy seriously thought she would do that to her? Hurt blossomed in Lucy's chest, and she fought the tears in her eyes. Mira saw this and quietly placed her bookmark at her stopping point and set down her tea.   
  
“Lucy... You and Laxus aren't...” Mira hated to ask this question, but she couldn't assume. Both Lucy and Laxus were gorgeous, powerful mages who got along well. She couldn't entirely blame Levy for her train of thought, but she had to hear Lucy out.   
  
“What? No, No! Laxus is like... my bro. We talk about real stuff. I love Natsu and Gray, but Laxus understands a man's point of view.” Lucy was completely flustered by Mira's question. Her and Laxus? How would that ever work anyway?

“I didn't think so, either, Lucy. But, Levy is really upset. You should talk to her tomorrow.” Mira seemed to relax considerably in hearing that Lucy wasn't with Laxus, and that Lucy could talk to him. Laxus needed a good galpal who he felt comfortable around, someone he could really trust.

“I'll talk to her in the morning, but still, I can't believe she actually thought...” Lucy trailed off, looking sad and hurt and angry all in one. Mira crossed the distance between her and her guild sister and hugged her tightly. Lucy did so much for her guild, expecting nothing back, and instead of appreciating and loving her for it, she was being blamed for something she didn't do.

“Thanks Mira. We'll figure this out.” Lucy smiled sadly. She still had hope that she and Levy could talk it out. It was a misunderstanding, for sure. Lucy knew that she just had to convey it in the right way to her best friend. She would understand, surely.

Lucy had been entirely wrong in her assumptions the night before as she and Levy stood across from one another and the guild hall. Her small best friend had tried the throw a chair at her, and was crying heavily. Lucy was still trying to talk.

“After all we've been through, I can't believe you'd stoop so low and be such a slut!” Levy screamed. That was the last straw for Lucy. She tried to talk to Levy, she cried, tried to talk again, and then was called a slut. Something Lucy objected to on so many levels. Regardless of the amount of sex she did or didn't have, it shouldn't make her more or less trustworthy. She certainly didn't have sex with Laxus, and now every moment of trust she put in Levy had been thrown back in her face as Levy had shouted her secrets out in the argument. Lucy was so incredibly glad the person she'd talked to about her trouble with Jura had been Laxus, not Levy.

“Enough! How dare you use sexuality to accuse me of being a bad friend. Have you listened to anything I said?” Lucy finally yelled back. She was done. Nothing else had gotten through to her friend, she was hurting, and she so badly wanted to clear up this misunderstanding. But she couldn't outright say what she needed to, because she wouldn't expose Laxus' secret. Tears flowed down her face like a river, and dripped onto the floor, and Lucy's fury expanded exponentially.

The sound of shattering glass startled Lucy, and she instinctively covered her head and ducked, so did everyone else. It took her a good 30 seconds before Lucy realized that Levy was cowering in a corner and that her magic had expanded at such a forceful rate that she'd broken anything crystalline in the guild. It took several deep breaths and focus for her to reign herself in, and when she did she turned and looked at Levy.

“I am going for a walk. We'll talk about this later.” And she turned and left the guild.

Laxus had heard everything, and even poked his head out of his office when he'd felt the huge expulsion of magic. He knew Lucy well enough that she'd go to her place of comfort in a situation like this. It meant either Mira's house, the canal by her old apartment, or Jura. Mira had been there, she knew to check her house in about 45 minutes should Lucy not return, the person who needed a heads up was Jura. Laxus pushed his magic into his Communication Lacrima and waited. He knew he needed to do massive amounts of damage control.

“Laxus. Whats going on?” Jura asked, able to hear the yelling and crying and general chaos from downstairs through the Communication Lacrima.

“Thats... a long story. I just called to give you a heads up. Lucy might arrive at your guild in about... an hour. She'll be crying, and once she calms down, she'll tell you the whole story.” Laxus massaged the bridge of his nose, thinking of the next steps he needed to take to get the funds together to repair the windows and replace the glasses.

“Right, well thanks for being clear about that, Laxus.” He could practically taste the sarcasm in Jura's voice, but he didn't have the time to address it. He looked at his friend, and just shook his head.   
  
“I'll talk later, Jura. Thanks for taking the call.” And he hung up. He began rifling through the resources in his filing cabinet. He had pulled out the contact information from 3 different glass mages, two of which point blank refused to work with Fairy Tail for various reasons, the 3rd was reluctant but willing to assess the damage for a hefty sum.

“That was really, really bad, wasn't it?” Mira's voice rang out through his office, and Laxus was so used to her in his space that he didn't even look up.   
  
“Yup. And Levy is in the wrong. Its gotta be said.” Laxus mumbled into his filing cabinet, thoroughly hating what being 2nd in command to the guild meant. Too many papers, too much paperwork, not enough frying people who annoyed him.

“Yes, but her struggles make her behavior understandable. What about Lucy?” Mira inquired gently, her nerves were fried, and she just wanted her guild to heal.

“She'll either go to your place, or Jura. I really gotta repair those windows. Send me an invoice for new glasses, Mira. Any style you like, you know the budget. I'll talk to Levy tomorrow. We give them 24 hours.” Laxus pulled his face out of the filing cabinet after finding no further repair mages in their files. He started tearing up the information of those who wouldn't work with their guild, too.

Both mages looked up when they heard a faint knock on the door, and Laxus told the person on the other end to come in. Gray only popped his head through the slight opening.   
  
“Uh Laxus, I fixed the windows for now, but its really a bit of a clusterfuck down there...” He trailed off, looking more stressed than usual. “Levy is crying, Lisanna is trying to talk to her, Bixlow is taking care of three of the kids, who are beyond freaked out.”   
  
A small body climbed up Gray's torso, and a small pair of arms wrapped around his neck. He was just as surprised at this as the other two mages in the office were, none of the guild kids had attached themselves to Gray until now.

“Uncle Laxus!” A small voice came from Gray's chest area, and with a sinking feeling Laxus stood from his desk to find Little Lucy clutching to Gray in terror. Gray, to his credit, did his best to be comforting, but kids were not his forte.

Little Lucy detached from Gray the moment she saw Laxus and ran to his legs and hid behind his calves. Mira's heart broke at this, and Gray realized that she was afraid of one or both of the participants of the fight.

Laxus sighed and bent down so Little Lucy could crawl into his arms and snuggle up. It seemed that she trusted Laxus to take care of her for the moment, and Laxus would honor the trust this girl had put in him. She was scared and small, and her guardians were trying to keep the guild safe enough for everyone. She knew her uncle Laxus would help and provide a safe haven.

“Laxus, I'm going to get the kids and bring them up here, if thats okay.” Mira looked towards one of her oldest friends, who nodded and realized his work in repairing the guild was futile. He would be baby-sitting the kids and providing emotional safety to them.   
  
­Mira and Gray returned a few minutes later, scared children clinging to them, and they all settled down with juice and snacks. They all crowded around Laxus and he just sighed and did his best to give the kids all the attention he could, and do his paper work. Mira stayed to make sure Laxus had all the help he needed, and Gray went to check on the downstairs situation. Mira grabbed his arm before he left, and quietly asked him to check on her house to see if Lucy was there.

Downstairs was a very sad place indeed, Lisanna and Bixlow were comforting Levy, and simultaneously talking reason into her, the rest of the guild were sitting stiff in their chairs and nervously minding their own business. Lucy was no where to be found in the guild, and Gray prayed he could find her at Mira's house, and so he excused himself with the lie of errands to pop out to Mira's home.

It was so quiet that even a ghost wouldn't dare make a noise. Lucy was clearly not at Mira's house, and Gray began to seriously worry. He knew Lucy could take care of herself physically, he'd seen her kick ass far too many times to doubt her in that area, but he worried for her emotionally wellbeing. He knew she was tender, and that she would do anything to make her friends emotionally comfortable, even if it cost her.

He returned to the guild, and shook his head at Mira. Her shoulder's sagged in response, and she too began to worry about Lucy.

Lucy knocked on the heavy guild doors, her eyes pink and puffy, and her face still damp. The door opened and she was face to face with Lyon, and fresh tears came to the rims of her eyes. He gestured her into the guild hall, and she was handed a piping hot cup of tea.

“Laxus called about an hour ago telling us that something happened.” Lyon said discretely, making sure that his tone was low. “You're welcome here for as long as needed. Jura is out getting more tea.”

Lucy could only nod and trust Lyon to guide her to a safe place. She was pulled into an office, sat down on a very comfortable couch and was wrapped up in a warm blanket.

“I know I'm no Jura, but I'm here to listen if you need me to.” Lyon smiled sadly. He hadn't seen it first hand, but Jura had told him exactly how well Lucy was faring after the horror of them busting the experimentation lab. They had a bunch of those kids in their guild now, and Lyon had two twin girls who adored him. He knew how much those kids had suffered.

Lucy looked at him with deeply hurt eyes, and began telling the story. How she'd taken Levy from Gajeel, how she had stayed with her from her first steps out of her apartment to her staying at the Halloween party. How much time she'd spent worrying about her, and how guilty she felt. Because even after all she'd done for the guild, she had found home in someone else.

Jura had overheard this last part, and knew that she had found her home by his side. That he was the person she was talking about, and that she longed for his comfort. He gave himself thirty seconds to find his own composure, he wanted to hold Lucy tightly, cradle her in his lap and comfort her until her worries were washed away. But he knew that wouldn't go over well, so he took a deep breath, and then opened the door to his office. Lucy looked so small sitting on his couch, her shoulders shaking and her head in her hands.

“She called me a slut, Lyon. Thats something you never do your galpals. She blurted out my secrets in front of the whole guild. I trusted her.” Lucy shook her head, not realizing that Jura was there. “Sex doesn't make someone more or less trustworthy. I certainly wouldn't... with Laxus.” Lucy shuddered and shook her head at the thought. Lyon couldn't help but laugh, and Jura joined in.   
  
“Yeah, he's not...” Lyon started to say, and Jura finished his sentence “not the type of person you should be with.” Both men were still chuckling. Lucy looked up at Jura and giggled a little herself, but still looked miserable. He looked towards Lyon who graciously stepped out of the office. Jura sat next to Lucy on his comfortable office couch. She comfortably leaned into him and started crying again.

“Levy is Laxus' mate. The fact that she thinks I'd do something so low as to sleep or attempt to sleep with the person she really likes is so upsetting. Even more so, I could've slept with every eligible person in my guild, and I still would never...” Lucy trailed off, a fresh batch of tears making their way down her tired face.   
  
“I know, Lucy. I know.” Jura wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and Lucy cried harder into his chest. She found safety and comfort in his arms, care and gentility, and honesty. “Stay until you've healed, but do your best to mend your friendship with Levy. I can see just how important that friendship is to you.” He whispered in her general direction, and she nodded her head.

“Thank you Jura. I am so, _so_ lucky to have found you.” Lucy said, her words muffled by the fact that she had buried herself into the folds of Jura's warm winter coat. She took in a deep breath and smelled pine, earth, and spice. With each breath, Lucy calmed, and soon enough she'd fallen asleep curled up into Jura's side. He let her sleep her pain away, and Jura leaned back into the couch. He too drifted off to sleep, comfortably by Lucy's side.

Lucy woke up in the middle of the night, her groggy eyes adjusting the dim light. She was warm, wrapped up in a blanket, and curled up next to someone. Lucy wriggled a little bit to get a peak, and realized it was Jura when she saw the beard tangled up on his shoulder. Lucy's eyes closed once again, and she snuggled in closer and fell back asleep.

When she woke up again, it was morning. She was still curled up next to Jura, and he had his arm falling over Lucy's back, holding her tightly to him. Lucy was momentarily embarrassed by this, until the chill of the cold permeating the air hit her. She shivered a little and rearranged the blanket, looking up at Jura to make sure he was covered well enough, too.

He looked so different when he was sleeping; younger, less worried, and quite handsome. Lucy wanted to touch his face, maybe run a finger along his nose, or brush her thumb across a cheekbone, but she knew better. She knew she wouldn't like it if someone woke her up by touching her face, especially someone she accidentally fell asleep next to. Another shiver wracked her body, and Lucy closed the small gap between their bodies. She knew she had to wake him up soon, but Jura was so warm and comfortable. Her eyes drifted closed once again, and the next thing she knew, she was being woken up by Jura.

“Lucy, its time to wake up.” Jura gently shook her shoulder, and Lucy's eyes cracked open. She didn't want to go back to sleep, she wanted to stay in the warm cocoon she and Jura had created on his couch. She was so comfortable. Another gentle shake, and Lucy opened her eyes again. She had to get up and face the day, but as she sat up, the chill crept into her bones.

“So cold...” Sleep still clung to Lucy's voice, and she started shivering. Jura couldn't help himself, and he pulled his overcoat off his shoulders and wrapped Lucy up in it. She sat up further and pulled her arms through the big sleeves, and smiled happily. She loved his overcoat, and she cherished each time she was lucky enough to wear it.

“Shit, damn tangles.” Jura muttered under his breath, and then gave a resigned sigh when his comb became twisted up with his beard. He heard tinkling laughter coming from his left, and looked over to see a giggling Lucy. Even though he wasn't happy about his beard being tangled, he was very glad that Lucy was laughing. There had been nothing but grief and tears when he'd seen her last.

“Come here, let me untangle that for you.” Lucy motioned for him with a finger, and he obliged. Lucy gently started detangling at the bottom of his beard, and delicately pried the strands of his facial hair apart. Lucy was pulling the comb out of his beard when the door to Jura's office opened and an unfamiliar woman strode into his office and froze at the scene before her. Jura had a tangled beard, with a young woman, wearing his overcoat, untangling his beard.

“Mom.” Jura's tone was slightly surprised, with a mix of embarrassment and happiness thrown in there. He looked at his mother, to Lucy, back to his mother, and then back to Lucy again. She'd never seen the powerful wizard saint look like a deer caught in headlights, and if she didn't feel so awkward, she'd have burst out laughing.

Jura's mother seemed to be the first to recover from the weird situation she walked into, and smiled widely. She'd never seen her son so completely comfortable with anyone, much less a woman.

“You must be Lucy. I'm Kara, Jura's mom.” She smiled and held out her hand, and Lucy gladly shook it. So this was Jura's mother. Lucy liked her immediately, she was warm and good natured.

“Its so nice to finally meet you.” Lucy shook her hand back and looked over her shoulder at Jura, who still had a comb half stuck in his beard. A smile was creeping up his lips, and in that moment Lucy saw the family resemblance. Lucy chatted with his mom for a few minutes, until she excused herself to go spend time downstairs and drink tea. Lucy assured her that they'd both be there momentarily.

“So, thats your mom.” Lucy gave Jura a sly smile, but he seemed tense and he didn't get the tease Lucy had sent his way.She gave him a moment and busied herself with righting his beard. “Jura? Is everything okay?”

“My mother is wonderful, and we have a good relationship. But... she can sometimes jump to conclusions... and she's nosy.” Jura trailed off, looking deeply uncomfortable. He also knew that his mother had an uncanny ability to see through his head and read his thoughts.

“Right, any white lies I may need to tell her?” Lucy liked Jura's mom, but _he_ was her friend first and foremost. She saw him take a deep, steadying breath and his eyebrows creased together.

“Not lie, no. But you should be prepared with the fact that she's going to ask questions about my relationships with women, particularly you.” Lucy's eyebrows raised significantly at this, but she listened as he continued on. “The good thing about my mother is that she'll respect a good, firm no.”

“Right, I can do that. You're a stubborn bachelor.” Jura finally laughed at this. Lucy always had a way to cheer him up and to comfort him through worries and tensions. Lucy pulled her hands from his beard, and ran the comb through the length without any tangles. She reluctantly let go of his beard, and they headed downstairs.

Jura was right, and the moment he and Lucy were separated, his mom pulled her aside to ask about potential women in his life. She did everything that Jura said she would, but Lucy told her clearly and firmly that it seemed he wasn't dating anyone.

“Its so sad to hear. I love my son dearly, and I see how much of a wonderful man he's become. He deserves a good partner who loves and appreciates him.” Kara sighed, and ran a hand through her dark brown hair. Her son was an adult, and out in the world in his own right, but she still worried deeply. She would never stop being his mother.

Lucy was struggling with another internal monster. The idea that at some point in the future, she and Jura would no longer live together, that he'd find a partner who he wanted to be with. That the peace and calm and sense of home she'd found in him would no longer be hers. That they would no longer share the bond they did now. Lucy never wanted to lose that.

“Well, what about you Lucy? Do you have a partner?” Kara asked, a knowing smile on her face. She knew what love looked like when it was written across someone's face, and Lucy had it written in bold. Lucy turned to her an scrunched up her face in confusion.

“No, I am single.” A look of longing crossed Lucy's features for a moment, and Kara watched the young woman mull over her feelings.

“In due time, dear. In due time.” Kara's words gave Lucy pause. In due time she'd find a partner as well, which would mean she would have to willing step away from Jura. That she would have found someone who she'd be willing to leave her small home in the woods for.

She had some questions she needed answering, and the only people she knew who were in a loving, committed relationship were Bixlow and Lisanna. She would have to have a chat with the both of them when she saw them next.

She and Kara chatted for the remainder of the morning, and were joined by Lyon by noon. He'd brought some green tea and early Christmas cookies.

Lucy thoroughly enjoyed the calm of Lamia Scale; everyone was kind and gentle, but the stark difference between this guild and Fairy Tail made Lucy's heart ache. She began to wonder how much her guild appreciated her, how much they valued what she'd done for both Lisanna and Levy. She knew Laxus understood, and Lisanna was grateful, but she wondered how much the rest of the guild realized how much she'd sacrificed for them.

She was truly questioning where she belonged.

  
  


Erza was sitting in the guild, trying to fork strawberry cake that had been eaten thirty minutes before. Lucy's behavior had been incredibly troubling; she'd never outright ignored Erza before. This was intentional, and Erza was feeling quite hurt by this. What had she done to her guild sister? If she had committed a wrong against Lucy, she needed to rectify it immediately. With her mind made up, Erza stood up abruptly and sent her fork and plate flying.

“I must mend my relationship with Lucy. Where is she?” She pointed her sword and Natsu who's eyes went wide.

“She's missing, Erza.” Natsu's voice was uncharacteristically low and upset. “No one knows where she went.”

“I saw her catching a southbound train. I called out to her several times and she ignored me. It was a quiet day at the station, too.” Erza explained her situation to Natsu, who looked relieved as hell to hear that his friend's whereabouts were confirmed to a general region.

“Lets take a walk, Erza.” Gray suggested tentatively to her, and the redhead agreed readily. She felt incredibly guilty for whatever it was she'd done to Lucy. She and Gray walked out the back exit of the guild, and into the park behind the guild.

“You did nothing wrong. Laxus filled me in on all the details.” Gray's hand rested on Erza's bicep, and he squeezed gently. The relief that washed over her face caused Gray to relax and for warmth to spread to his heart, figuratively. He told her the story of Lucy and Laxus went to dinner, and how Levy inexplicably lost her shit at Lucy.

“Thats why she... “ Erza trailed off, and Gray nodded, sighing unhappily. Levy had been Lucy's first friend outside of their team, and it had been a natural and easy friendship. “I need to fix this. Lucy belongs here with us.”

Erza went to storm into the guild and demand it all be fixed, but Gray caught her arm in the process, and shook his head. She couldn't fix it for Lucy; Levy had to be the one to mend the bridge, or Lucy would undoubtedly mistrust the guild as a whole for a very long time. She might grow resentful and leave.

“Levy has to fix this. We can push her and support her in doing so, but this is her mess to fix.” Erza sighed in defeat, but understood that Gray was right. They both started hearing yelling from the guild, angry yelling. The person yelling was apparently furious, indignant, and disappointed. Both mages burst into the guild the shock of Freed Justine yelling. He was one of the most composed mages in the guild, and he was pacing and waving his arms.

“Further more, even if... How could you treat Lucy so poorly? She saved my life, she saved yours, she has changed the guild for the better.” He paused and pulled together some of his composure. “She deserved better. She and Mira have been through hell. Its 3 days to Christmas, and she's been driven out of her guild by the person she saved. Lucy went up against a rampaging, abusive dragon slayer for you.” He turned away from her, marched to the other side of the guild, and sat down at the table with Evergreen. She coyly shut had fan with a _skrit_ noise, and made eye contact with Levy.

“Just because you've been through shit, doesn't mean you get to be shit to other people.” Her tone was cool and uninterested, but she'd made enough obvious eye contact and spoken loud enough for Levy to understand.

It had been a tense few days at the guild, and it was making Natsu slightly crazy. He and Lucy's friendship had gone stale, and it was bothering him more so now than it had in a while. He was disappointed in Levy, but he wasn't going to yell at her the way Freed had. Instead, he hopped up to Laxus' office and let himself in.

“What do you want.” Laxus was fried. His grandfather had hefted a huge stack of papers on his desk, and then sauntered out of the guild like an asshole. Levy was still sulking and behaving like Lucy had betrayed her, and now Natsu was in his office.

“Where is Lucy. I need to see her.” Laxus finally looked up from his paperwork. This could be a double edged sword, seeing as Natsu himself was figuratively a doubled edged sword.

“She is at Lamia Scale. You start shit there, and I will let Jura kill you.” Laxus stared at the younger slayer, and then shoo'd him out of his office with a fake mission in hand in case anyone gave him trouble for leaving this close to Christmas.

Natsu braved the train ride from Magnolia to Hargeon, he knew that Happy would make some inappropriate comments about Lucy's weight, and he knew that would go over as well as a lead balloon. He sat on the bench in the train compartment and clutched his stomach in discomfort, and steeled his resolve. He would do this for his friend; she deserved the world, and even though Natsu knew he couldn't be the one to give it to her, he had to at least try to cheer her up.

The train eventually lurched to a stop, and Natsu calmly walked through Hargeon and right into Lamia Scale. It was late afternoon, and sun was peacefully filtering through the windows in the guild hall. It only took him a few moments to find Lucy's long blonde hair.

He had to be mature about this, thats what Lucy had told him he needed to do; to grow up just a little bit, and he was damn sure he'd done that at least a little bit. She saw him before he could say anything, and walked towards him slowly. Natsu did his best to respect her tentativeness, but when she got to within a few feet of him, he couldn't help himself. He threw his arms around her and squeezed none too gently.

“Easy, Natsu. Please don't break my ribs.” Lucy coughed a little, and smiled happily as her oldest friend hugged her like a normal person. The way he held onto her was really endearing.

“I wish I could fix this for you, Lucy.” He stated simply. Lucy understood what he meant; she understood not only did he wish he could fix it, but he also wished he make Levy understand.

“I know Natsu. Thank you for coming all the way down here, and on the train, too!” Lucy giggled happily. She adored Natsu; he was the person who brought her to Fairy Tail, took her on crazy missions, and forced her magic to expand and helped her grow in ways she didn't know were possible.

“Will you be coming home for Christmas?” Natsu pulled back from Lucy, and looked her in the eyes silently pleading for her to say yes. She looked away and frowned, and shook her head slightly.

“I don't know, Natsu. She really hurt me, broke my trust, and somehow thinks that I'd...” Lucy sighed, a look of despair crossing her face.

“Yeah, I know. I've seen how Laxus looks at her.” Natsu sighed, he wasn't as foolish as people thought he was. He knew what it looked like when someone was in love. “Please think about it, okay? We all really miss you. Freed even yelled at her.”

Lucy's eyes went wide at this. Freed? He was the most rational mage in their guild. He didn't yell, curse or loose his cool. Had he done it on her behalf? She cocked her head at Natsu and he nodded.

“He told Levy that you deserved better, that you'd saved his life, and hers, and that she should've behaved better.” Natsu nodded sagely to her, and Lucy half smiled. Freed apparently wasn't one to mince words, and Lucy appreciated just how indignant he seemed to have been on her behalf.

“Can I stay and spend the afternoon with Lucy?” His question was directed up towards Jura, who considered Natsu for several long moments.

“If you destroy anything, I will destroy you.” Jura stared him down, and Natsu grinned like his old self. Lucy looked over her shoulder and Jura and mouthed 'Thank you' to him, and his looked softened considerably. It seemed that he couldn't say no to her, that Lucy had charmed him in a way. He would work through it, he would move forward in his life. He would not let his feelings for her fester and dominate his life.

The whole guild spent the day laughing at the stories both Fairies were telling about their missions. Lyon chimed in for the story of Galuna Isle, and Lucy teased him about his silly helmet. He rolled his eyes a little but agreed that he was pretty ridiculous as a young man.

Eventually, it was time for Natsu to go home. He made his case to Lucy once more that she at least come home for Christmas day, but Lucy was still so torn up about the whole ordeal that she couldn't give him an answer at the time. The hugged one last time, and Lucy felt her shoulders sag when the guild doors swung shut.

Kara and Lyon exchanged a look. When it became clear that Jura was going to give Lucy some space, Kara decided she needed to talk to the young woman who'd become her son's dear friend.

“You know, from the sounds of it, your guild adores you.” She said simply; Kara knew that sometimes that long explanations weren't what was needed. Lucy seemed to be carrying quite the weight on her shoulders already.

“You know... I just...” Lucy was crying again, and she just wanted things to go back to normal. She was so very tired of things falling at her feet to be mended or picked up.

“You can't fix everything, dear.” She said, and gently put an arm around the young woman's shoulder. Kara knew the feeling of everything falling to her, and she did not envy Lucy's place in life.

They all bid the day goodbye, and Lucy ended up sleeping in Jura's office again. The couch was so comfortable that Lucy didn't mind being couch-bound. Her dreams that night were weird; not necessarily bad, but definitely weird. She felt a set of lips on her own, then onto her neck, and in between her breasts. She felt a pair of hands on her hips, and then she woke up with a start. Lucy had never had a remotely sexy dream in her whole life. She'd had sex before, but what had happened in her dream had been very different; it had been more than just sexual. She closed her eyes again and tried to remember what the dream had evoked in her, how she'd felt with those lips on hers.

Lucy heard a small commotion coming from downstairs, and not moments later Chelia burst into the office where Lucy was staying and flung herself into Lucy's arms. She grinned happily and hugged Lucy tightly.

“Dad says you're here for a bit. Are you joining our guild?” Chelia's hopeful eyes searched Lucy's, and she tried to suss out what her blonde friend was planning.

“Chelia, thats enough.” Jura's stern voice rang through the room, and Chelia pouted, but still sat on the couch next to Lucy. “Lucy and I need to have a private conversation.”

“I'll fill you in when we're done, Chelia.” Lucy said kindly, and looked to Jura for reassurance. He nodded serenely, and Chelia slunk downstairs like a bored cat. Lucy's eyes shifted from Chelia to Jura, and tilted her head slightly.

“Lucy, I am more than happy to have you here in our guild.” Jura sat down next to Lucy, and placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. He had another thing he needed to say, but was worried that Lucy would feel rejected. “But, you love Fairy Tail so much, and it is my personal opinion that you should work to mend that bridge before you uh... jump ship, so to speak.”

Jura waited for Lucy to respond, but instead she took in some deep breaths, closed her eyes and maintained steady breathing for a good thirty seconds. Jura worried that he'd overstepped a boundary by giving her advice. But, she did eventually open her eyes and gave Jura a searching look.

“I've thought about this a lot, Jura. Ultimately, Levy is the one who messed this up, and I don't think I can fix this for her.” Lucy looked at her feet for a good few moments and then looked back up to Jura, pain clearly showing on her face. “I've spent so much time trying to fix things for other people that I've forgotten to take care of myself.”

Jura let out a sigh of relief. He'd seen Lucy work herself to exhaustion for her friends, then rest the bare minimum, and work herself to exhaustion through the intense guidance he'd given to her. Now, Lucy was seeing the cost of it all and was reassessing what her limits were and how to care for herself better.

“Well Lucy, I wholeheartedly agree. That said, it was lovely to see the destructive one come to visit.” Jura chuckled to himself, and Lucy laughed a little bit too. Then the realization hit her that she may no longer be at Fairy Tail, that her sacrifices and the time and energy spent on the guild may well have been wasted. She had a whole pile of Christmas gifts for everyone, including Levy, stacked up in Mira's guest room.

Guilt blossomed in Lucy's chest, and she felt hot, angry tears dripping down her cheeks. She wasn't weeping or sobbing; her body was producing a physical manifestation of her emotions. She had her guild who also had housed her during her visits, and Mira; Lucy's tears flowed harder when she thought about Mira. She'd been through so much with the eldest takeover mage, and she still felt a strong connection to her.

Lucy was at a crossroads, and she felt like there were people pulling at her limbs by different people she loved. Jura watched on, hoping for Lucy to find inner peace, because he'd seen her crying, or upset, or exhausted by the sheer weight of her own emotions.

“I will wait until Christmas eve. If she doesn't even attempt to reach out, I will contact Laxus about potentially leaving.” Lucy wiped her tears away from an eye, and Jura reached out and gently brushed one of his large, calloused thumbs across the tear-tracks on her face.

“And Lucy, if you two do mend this bridge, you will not be hurting me by choosing to stay with Fairy Tail. I will tell no one of your ultimatum.” Jura promised, and Lucy nodded sadly. She didn't ever think that it would come to this; that at some point in time that she'd ever choose to leave Fairy Tail. That guild had been her home for many, many years.

Chelia was crouched by the crack she'd intentionally left open to the door to her father's office, and was listening in intently. A grin formed on the teen's face, and joy spread to her heart. She'd felt terrible about Lucy's anguish, she could feel it from her not so subtle eves-dropping spot, but the moment of tenderness she'd just witnessed between the two mages in the office had brought her hope. Lucy had her father to lean on, and Chelia knew that Jura was a reliable and comforting person. She scurried out of view when she saw her dad start to stand up, and slipped down the bannister to the espresso machine, and made herself a coffee. Lucky for Chelia, Lucy descended the staircase not fifteen seconds after Chelia had taken a seat.

Jura watched Lucy for a moment; she was sitting next to his pride and joy, smiling as Chelia chatted away. He watched the weight of Lucy's troubles lift just a small amount as his daughter made her a warm cup of coffee and offered her some food. Jura turned back into his office and fully closed the door, sat behind his desk, and pulled out his communication lacrima.

“Jura, what can you tell me.” Laxus' concerned face appeared in the lacrima, and his face sank when Jura shook his head.

“Its not looking good, Laxus. Lucy is tired, and has done so much for others...” Jura trailed off, and Laxus nodded. He personally understood exactly why Lucy wasn't feeling particularly forgiving, but it put him in a tough position. He could very well end the conflict by telling Levy that she was his soulmate, but he knew that would end poorly. He could try to guilt Levy into going to try and fix this, but a half assed apology would do as much healing as a bandaid on a bullet wound. But at the end of the day, he couldn't ask Lucy to sweep it all under the rug either, Levy's behavior had been atrocious.

“I'll see what I can do, Jura. But, Levy is an adult, and she can't be taught to apologize like the kids.” Laxus rubbed the bridge of his nose, and cursed under his breath. The compulsion to be with Levy was still strong, the instinct still there, but he found himself less and less attracted to her on an emotional level. “I've got to go, please take care of Lucy.”

Laxus closed out his communication lacrima, and pulled out all the resources from his filing cabinet on guild transfers. He pulled out the exit forms, and then the mission history forms, and then called Mira up to his office.

Mira and Laxus shared a moment of silence between one another, and then Mira saw the transfer papers on Laxus' desk, and her eyes went wide. She flew out of Laxus' office, out of the guild doors, and transformed into Satan Soul once she'd left the building; all while crying Lucy's name.

  
  


End! A few things I wanna add, I've realized I may have been misspelling “Gray” because I spell the color “grey” so... there's that.   
  
Also, when Gray and Erza take a walk to chat, I said there was a park behind the guild. I have no hecking idea if there actually is a park there... but there is in this story now. 

 


End file.
